Racing fans from across the country gathered in Google Chat on Sunday for the 2nd Annual Triple Crown Fantasy Draft. A horse racing league restricted to 3-year-old races for fillies and colts from the Holy Bull through the Belmont Stakes. This year the league consisted of 12 people and 8 rounds of a snake draft. Season long points are accumulated by designated races that put a premium on the Triple Crown preps.
Triple Crown Special 1st 2nd 3rd
Kentucky Oaks 12 8 6
Kentucky Derby 12 8 6
Preakness Stakes 12 8 6
Black Eyed Susan 12 8 6
Belmont Stakes 12 8 6
Acorn Stakes 12 8 6
Big Races 1st 2nd 3rd
Wood Memorial 10 5 4
Arkansas Derby 10 5 4
Santa Anita Derby 10 5 4
Wood Memorial Stakes 10 5 4
Florida Derby 10 5 4
Louisiana Derby 10 5 4
Sunland Derby 10 5 4
Illinois Derby 10 5 4
Santa Anita Oaks filly 10 5 4
Fairgrounds Oaks filly 10 5 4
Gulfstream Oaks filly 10 5 4
Points are also awarded for several other preps:
Rest of schedule 1st 2nd 3rd
Holy Bull 8 4 3
Withers 8 4 3
Robert B. Lewis 8 4 3
El Camino Real 8 4 3
Southwest 8 4 3
Fountain of Youth 8 4 3
Risen Star 8 4 3
Gotham 8 4 3
San Felipe 8 4 3
Tampa Bay Derby 8 4 3
Rebel 8 4 3
Spiral Stakes 8 4 3
Lexington 8 4 3
Derby Trail 8 4 3
Edgewood Stakes – Oaks Day 8 4 3
8 Belles Stakes – Oaks Day 8 4 3
American Turf – Derby Day 8 4 3
Peter Pan 8 4 3
Chick Lang Stakes – Prk Day 8 4 3
Sir Barton Stakes – Prk Day 8 4 3
Easy Goer Stakes – Belmont Day 8 4 3
Woody Stephens – Belmont Day 8 4 3
Filly Races
Forward Gal 8 4 3
Martha Washington 8 4 3
Las Virgenes 8 4 3
Busher Stakes 8 4 3
Davona Dale 8 4 3
Rachel Alexandra 8 4 3
Santa Ysabel 8 4 3
Honeybee 8 4 3
Bourbonette Oaks 8 4 3
Sunland Oaks 8 4 3
Gazelle 8 4 3
Ashland 8 4 3
Fantasy Stakes 8 4 3
Beaumont 8 4 3
Claiming Dates
Players will keep an 8-horse stable during the entire Triple Crown season. Claiming budget is $500 (fake money) so players will be bidding on new horses and dropping horses on the following dates.
- Feb. 2
- Feb. 23
- Mar. 9
- Mar. 23
- Apr. 17
- May 11
- June 1
Players submit “blind” claims which makes the strategy of the game, In case of tie bids, the player lower in the standings receives the horse. If a player loses all their bids, their stable remains the same until the next claiming date. With numerous horses moving up in ability, spotting a contender or finding a horse capable of winning multiple preps is a key strategy in the league.
The League Participants:
@rogueclown – Nicolle is returning for her 2nd season. Frequent writer at Picks and Ponderings, and Blinkers-off.com. She can be found writing about pedigrees, Curlin Babies and anything else Horse Racing. Horse Racing is her Canvas, Hawthorne is her Paint Brush and the Daily Racing Form is her Paint. She dreams of a trifecta in the Kentucky Derby involving three gray horses. Random Trivia, Karaoke outbursts and Bus Updates also populate her timeline.
@chare889 – Candice can be found at Cappingwithcandice, in addition to numerous stateside race previews, she is co-host of Down to the Wire, writes for Danyonmous Racing.com and can be found late nights pontificating on Australian and Hong Kong Horse Racing. She has a un-healthy fascination with Grandeur and can be found on twitter talking about “The mental state” of Tapit” progeny. She admits to liking Meat Head Rob Lowe commercials.
@shapperdacapper – hates all 32 NFL Teams, all 30 NBA teams, when not ripping Payton Manning on Twitter he can be found at ShapperdaCapper.com. He has been participating in Fantasy Leagues for over 20 years. Daily sports leagues, Saratoga and 4-figure Pick 4’s are his passions.
@onthemarcbets – what a trying rookie year on twitter for this guy. The litigation, the notoriety, the subsequent deportation to Canada and that countries refusal to admit him. Why that’s more than most 20 year olds can handle. Marc can be found at Saratoga in the summer enjoying a Cigar and singing the praises of Castellano. This guy loves Kid Cruz
@tracksidejive – Searching for value in a pick 5 or pick 4 pool somewhere on the weekend, he found Nirvana last week when THE Ohio State Buckeyes won the National Championship.
@cashwinningtix hails from the Oil Capital of North America calling North Dakota his home state and never met a Bob Baffert Trained 2-year-old that he did not consider a contender for the Kentucky Derby.
@sdsuemk is new to the league this year, can usually be found placing all types of wagers at all types of tracks. San Diego State fan for life!
@mervontherail is a returning veteran in the league. Jon loves the ladies, last year finding success with Untapable on the TC Trail, this year he hopes to mix in some colts.
@insidethenumbers has an uncanny knack of placing Kentucky Derby Future wagers on horses who usually shine in the Iowa Derby, West Virginia, and Kings Bishop. The master of the morning line and unofficial meteorologist of major stakes races. Get him in a room with John White and Mike Battaglia and not sure who survives. Thinks the Blue Jays may be a contender in 2015 and has heard “stories” of The Toronto Maple Leafs winning championships but can’t actually verify that.
@sittingbilly is a rookie in the league, hails from Massachusetts and can probably tell me stories about Rockingham Park and Suffolk Downs. Boston Strong.
@bellringerwins remembers when Chicago Racing was the place to be. Calls Hawthorne home in the winter, Arlington Park his summer cottage and loves talking racing, Derby, 3 Year Olds and believes the best walk is from the Walking Ring to the Winner’s Circle at a live race meet.
@derbyologist the host and commissioner of this crazy group, when not criticizing California Chrome, he maintains a spreadsheet on 2 year olds and 3 year olds. Still thinks Lost Code would have won the Haskell Stakes in 1987 with a better ride. Saw Who Doctor Who carry 131 pounds to victory at Canterbury Park. Still can’t fathom past performances like Round Table and Nijinsky II.
The Draft was held Sunday night with the following rosters and selections:
Triple Crown League