Draft day

Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor Mike Curry and I are one of 15 teams that participate in the Triple Crown Fantasy League, which encompasses races on the Road to the Triple Crown and the Triple Crown series itself.

The format of the league is ten rounds of an up-and-down draft with each team selecting nine three-year-olds plus one jockey. Horses score points for various placings in recognized stakes races and only if they're nominated to the Triple Crown. Jockeys score points for wins only in those same recognized stakes races. The team with the Derby winner on its roster gets its entry fee back.

Mike and I selected second overall last year, which was a blessing because we may have taken Old Fashioned with the first overall pick rather than Pioneerof the Nile, who scored more points than Old Fashioned did. We took Regal Ransom second and Mine That Bird sixth giving us the Derby exacta and clinching the win by the Preakness.

This year, we pick 12th overall, which gives us two top 20 picks (12th and 19th) but most of the "A" list contenders will be gone by then. By the time we get to the last few rounds, most people are taking maidens with hopeful massive upside.

I imagine Lookin at Lucky and Buddy's Saint will be the top two picks this year then some combination of American Lion, Concorde Point, Conveyance, Dave in Dixie, Drosselmeyer, Dryfly, Dublin, Eskenderya, Jackson Bend, Rule, Super Saver, Tiz Chrome, and Uptowncharlybrown going next. Which of those next ten will be available for me and Mike? Am I missing a horse that a team before us will take? It'd be nice if more than one of those falls to us with the 12th and 19th picks, but I'm not optimistic.

It's a fun contest, though, and definitely drives me to know more about Triple Crown-nominated maidens than I ever otherwise would have.