Racing Dudes Fantasy Update: Magic Emerges as Team to Beat

It was a crazy weekend in the fantasy league, and there’s another wild one ready to happen! Mendelssohn’s breathtaking performance has put Team Magic in the driver’s seat, while bad news about McKinzie missing the Santa Anita Derby (and most likely the Kentucky Derby) could send Jon and Ryan into a tailspin. Then there’s Dan “The Fan Man,” who’s in major trouble after all of his horses failed to fire. Saratoga Slim, however, looks loaded for the Kentucky Derby. Let’s get right to the Standings and Power Rankings!

Current Standings

Power Rankings

1. Curtis “Magic” Kalleward – Don’t look now, but this is squarely the team to beat after Mendelssohn dominated the Group 1 UAE Derby by 18 1/2 eye-popping lengths. After that win. Magic now sits just 11 points out of first place and seems loaded for the rest of the Kentucky Derby trail. Good Magic is set to go this weekend in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes, as is Marconi in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial. Magnum Moon will likely be a big favorite in next weekend’s Grade 1 Arkansas Derby now that Justify is staying in California, and Curlin’s Honor is projected to run in the Grade 2 Lexington Stakes. Magic is positioned to have a comfortable lead heading into the Triple Crown races.

2. Mike “Saratoga Slim” Spector – This has to be the most efficient fantasy horse racing team of all time. Slim has had horses start in just three points races this year, and all of them have won. Audible was his latest success story after he lived up to his hype with an impressive Grade 1 Florida Derby triumph. Bolt d’Oro is all set for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby this weekend, and with a win, he’ll likely be the Kentucky Derby favorite. There’s still no definite news on Restoring Hope as of now, but the newest rumor is that he’s heading to the Arkansas Derby. All is quiet on the Navistar front, and of course Avery Island was sidelined with an injury. Like Magic, Slim is set up for a really big two-week run to close out the Kentucky Derby preps.

3. Aaron Halterman – It’s a make-or-break week for this team that needs a star performance from Instilled Regard. If he runs very well in the Santa Anita Derby, then it would greatly help the chances of this team going into the Triple Crown races. Team Halterman has had the lead nearly the entire contest, yet has no serious Triple Crown race threat. Noble Indy has qualified for the Kentucky Derby, but he may not be a good enough to make much noise. Combatant still has work to do in the Arkansas Derby, but he should be fairly competitive once again. Bravazo… well, he’s qualified for the Kentucky Derby, but he was awful in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. Finally, there will be no help from Principe Guilherme, as he is off of the Kentucky Derby trail.

4. Jon White/Ryan Stillman – Oh boy… their news isn’t good. Stable star McKinzie will miss the Santa Anita Derby with an injury and is also highly questionable for the Kentucky Derby. That very untimely and unlucky break could cost this team dearly. They do have three runners this weekend, though, but the pressure is now on those horses to perform. Free Drop Billy and Flameaway have a date with Good Magic in the Blue Grass, while Enticed heads to Aqueduct for the Wood Memorial. Those three could at least put this team in a decent position heading into the Triple Crown races. Of course, they will get no help from Untamed Domain, who is now off of the Kentucky Derby trail.

5. Jared Welch – With the news of Justify staying home for the Santa Anita Derby, this weekend becomes huge. He’ll tangle with Bolt d’Oro, which isn’t the showdown we expected, but is one that we should still enjoy. Solomini will also be heavily-backed in the Arkansas Derby next weekend, so this team has a solid 1-2 punch. Sporting Chance could either run this weekend in the Blue Grass or wait until next weekend for the Arkansas Derby. Greyvitos is targeting the Lexington Stakes on April 14 and will likely be one of the favorites. The only downer for this team is New York Central, now off the Kentucky Derby trail after a terrible performance in the Sunland Derby.

6. Dan “The Fan Man” Waite – Dan is in really big trouble and is now staring last place directly in the face. Gold Town, Storm Runner, and Catholic Boy all failed to hit the board in their races last weekend, leaving all three on the outside looking in as far as the Kentucky Derby is concerned. That leaves Vino Rosso as his only real chance to have a horse in the Derby. He runs this weekend in the Wood Memorial and will have to finish first or second in order to have a shot at making the Kentucky Derby. His other horse Nero, hasn’t been mentioned for any of the Kentucky Derby preps that are left. Not good.