Happy 10th anniversary to the Brooklyn Backstretch Charity League.
It’s taken several forms over the year, inspired by the Saratoga Special Derby fantasy league, run by Brian Nadeau, way back in the days of yore.
Last year we raised just under $1,900 for racing charities across the country, donated by our top three finishers with the money that you donated, resulting in significant donations to Take the Lead, the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy, Backstretch Employees Service Team, and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Thanks to our winner David John, runner-up Brian Bohl, and third-place finisher Najja Thompson.
Over the eight years we’ve done this, we’ve raised nearly $12,000 for racing charities; past recipients include Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Days’ End Horse Rescue, Our Mims, Old Friends at Cabin Creek, and ReRun.
Back when we started, I pledged $50 to the charity of the winner’s choice. Quickly, pledges and donations from participants, unsolicited, followed, in impressive, generous amounts. As always, a donation is not required to play, but are welcome, in any amount.
Every dollar donated goes straight to the charities, and information on pledging can be found below. This year, I’ll be setting aside 10% of all donations for Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare, in honor of their work following the hurricanes in Florida, Texas, and particularly Puerto Rico.
Here’s how it works:
Select a fantasy stable consisting of 12 Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-old horses. Horses earn points with top-4 finishes in official Kentucky Derby qualifying races, racing in the Kentucky Derby, and a top-5 finish in the Kentucky Derby.
Points will be allocated according to the Kentucky Derby points system. Kentucky Derby starters will earn an additional 30 points each; Kentucky Derby points will be, for finishes in the top 5, 300-120-60-30-15.
Linda Walker has generously donated her time to set up our spreadsheet, building on the work of Mike Dorr, who handled that part of the league for the last few years. We divided the Triple Crown-nominated horses into three groups based on current Derby points standings.
Players will choose for their stable:
- 3 Group A horses
- 4 Group B horses
- 5 Group C horses
The groups are available in this Google doc. You must select and post your stable by next Saturday, February 17, by 12:00 PM ET.
After the Rebel Stakes on March 17th, the horses will be divided into two groups (D & E, again grouped by performance criteria above) and stables will be able to add:
- 1 Group D horse
- 1 Group E horse
Round 2 of the contest will begin with the Louisiana Derby and Sunland Derby on March 24; supplemental horses must be selected by noon ET Saturday, March 24. Points earned by Group D and E horses in Round 1 will not count toward the players’ total.
The contest will conclude with the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 5. The winning stable will have the most accumulated points. In the unlikely event of a tie, ties will be broken as follows:
- Highest # of Derby Starters in your stable
- Highest # of Points at the end of Round 1
A reminder post will go up the week before Round 2 begins.
If you finish in the top 3, you’ll be able to choose the organization(s) to which your prize money is donated. All recipient organizations must be registered 501(C)3 charities and must support the well-being of the humans and animals in Thoroughbred racing or on the backstretch.
If you want to play, please post the names of the horses for your stable in the comments below (if you are a first-time or infrequent commenter here, your post will be held in moderation until I can approve it, which generally happens relatively quickly.)
If you want to pledge/contribute, please leave the amount in the comments or e-mail me at Teresa@brooklynbackstretch.com. We’d love to surpass the amount of money that we raised last year.
Questions? E-mail me, leave a question in the comments, find Linda and me on Twitter (@BklynBckstretch, @LindaVA3).
Good luck, have fun, and let’s do some good for the racing community.
Brooklyn Backstretch 
Happy to donate!
Dorothy DeMichele Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices & The Arlington of Naples Make The Right Move! 239-821-5606
Sent from my iPhone
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Group A – Avery Island, Free Drop Billy and Firenze Fire
Group B – Audible, Tiz Mischief, Hollywood Star and Seven Trumpets
Group C – Ax Man, Curlin’s Honor, Irish Spring, Navy Armed Guard and U S Navy Flag
Donation $100.00
Thanks again for doing this.
Group A – Bolt d’Oro, Free Drop Billy, McKinzie
Group B – Audible, Hollywood Star, Mourinho, Tiz Mischief
Group C – Mask, New York Central, Promises Fulfilled, Strike Power, Untamed Domain
Donation – $50
Happy to play.
Lynne Cassimeris
Group A – Good Magic, Solomini, Enticed
Group B – Audible, Hollywood Star, Mourinho, Principe Guilherme
Group C – Untamed Domain, Title Ready, Dream Baby Dream, Gotta Go, Mississippi
Donation – $200
Making my annual $50 contribution 🙂
Group A: Good Magic, Avery Island, Firenze Fire
Group B: Bravazo, Tiz Mischief, Principe Guilherme, Audible
Group C: Vino Rosso, Kanthaka, Retirement Fund, Strike Power, Noble Indy
count me in for $30 again this year! also, doubling down on #CurlinBabies is fun. 🙂
Group A:
Free Drop Billy
Good Magic
Solomini
Group B:
Audible
Principe Guilherme
Mourinho
Tiz Mischief
Group C:
He Hate Me
Kanthaka
Snapper Sinclair
Tenfold
Vino Rosso
Mike $100.00
Group A
Bolt d’Oro
Enticed
Solomini
Group B
Audible
Tiz Mischief
Lombo
Seven Trumpets
Group C
Restoring Hope
Retirement Fund
World of Trouble
Curlin’s Honor
Mask
Group D. Good Magic
Group E Noble Indy
Happy to be involved in this wonderful Charity league again
Count me in for $100
Group A: Free Drop Billy, Bolt D’Oro, Catholic Boy
Group B: Audible; Principe Guilherme, Tiz Mischief,Combatant
Group C: Machismo, Magnum Moon, Nero, Noble Indy, Sporting Chance
Thanks for the opportunity. Privileged to part of this contest. My donation is: $50
Group A – Good Magic – Solomini – Instilled Regard
Group B – Principe Guilherme – Mourinho – Tiz Mischief
Group C – Noble Indy – Vino Rosso – Copper Bullet – Sporting Chance – Zulfikhar
Hi Nick,
You need to select one more Group B horse. Thanks, Linda
Linda, i’d like to add Audible to my B group, Thanks -NC
I’d like to add Audible to my B group, seeing I had only selected three and I am allowed four from the group. Thanks -NC
Got it!
Been looking forward to this! I’m in for a $50.00 donation.
Group A: Good Magic, Bolt d’Oro, Instilled Regard
Group B: Audible, Mourhino, Principe Guilherme, Seven Trumpets
Group C: Noble Indy, Title Ready, Copper Bullet, Vino Rosso, Nero
I’m in for $50, hopefully I still have some luck left over from last year:
Group A: Instilled Regard, Good Magic, Avery Island
Group B: Combatant, Audible, Mourhino, Lombo
Group C: Mendelssohn, Mask, Noble Indy, Copper Bullet, Restoring Hope
Donation: $60
Group A – Avery Island; Bolt d’Oro; Catholic Boy
Group B – Audible; Combatant; Mourinho; Principe Guilherme
Group C – Kanthaka; Magnum Moon; Noble Indy; Quip; World of Trouble
Donation: $20
Group A – Catholic Boy, Solomini, Free Drop Billy
Group B – Audible, Lombo, Principe Guilherme, Tiz Mischief
Group C – Magnum Moon, Noble Indy, He Hate Me, Snapper Sinclair, Tale of Fire
Group A
Good magic
My Boy Jack
Bolt d’Oro
Group B
Mourinho
Audible
Principe Guilherme
Bravazo
Group C
Hazit
Copper Bullet
My Boy Jack
Sporting Chance
Telekinesis
$150
I screwed up on my A list; replace My Boy Jack with McKinzie
Group A:
Good Magic
McKinzie
Bolt d’Oro
Group B:
Lombo
Ayacara
Combatant
Principe Guilherme
Group C:
Sporting Chance
Magnum Moon
Kanthaka
Supreme Aura
Title Ready
$100
$100
A Bolt d’Oro, Good Magic, Instilled Regard
B Maurinho, Audible, Principe Guilherme, Tiz Mischief
C Sporting Chance, Telekinesis, Ax Man, Lone Sailor, Copper Bullet
Thanks for all the effort in putting on a fun contest for good causes.
Teresa Genaro
Donation $75
Firenze Fire
Enticed
Avery Island
Audible
Tiz Mischief
Hollywood Star
Combatant
Bal Harbour
Sporting Chance
Quip
New York Central
Strike Power
Put me in for $50 bucks as well. Here are my picks:
Group A: Instilled Regard
Bolt D’Oro
Good Magic
Group B: Mourhino
Principle Guilherme
Bravazo
Audible
Group C: Personal Time
Sporting Chance
Magnum Moon
Vino Rosso
Noble Indy
$40 pledge
Group A
Bolt d’Oro
Free Drop Billy
McKinzie
Group B
Seven Trumpets
Principe Guilherme
Audible
Group C
Givemeaminit
Exclamation Point
Sporting Chance
Magnum Moon
Also one more Group C horse
Group B
4th horse-Mourinho
Group C
5th horse-Faversham
Holly, You get to pick one more horse from Group B.
$50 pledge.
Group A: Bolt d’Oro, Good Magic, Avery Island.
Group B: Principe Guilherme, Audible, Mourinho, Seven Trumpets.
Group C: Still Having Fun, Kanthaka, Magnum Moon, Untamed Domain, Maraud.
$50
A:
McKinzie
Instilled Regard
Avery Island
B:
Mourinho
Audible
Combatant
Tiz Mischief
C:
Marconi
Sporting Chance
Noble Indy
Tenfold
Copper Bullet
$50
A:
McKinzie
Solomoni
Bolt d’Oro
B:
Coltandmississippi
Audible
Hollywood Star
Tiz Mischief
C:
Mississippi
Sporting Chance
He Takes Charge
AnalyzeIt
Copper Bullet
D – Catholic Boy
E – Verve’s Humor
Per your preferences I will send a check when the contest is completed.
Thank you!
Jeff A.
$50
a:
Avery Island
Good Magic
Solomini
b:
Audible
Mourinho
Principe Guilherme
Tiz Mischief
c:
Marconi
Mississippi
New York Central
Noble Indy
Promised Fulfilled
$100
A-Solomini, Bolt D’Oro, Free Drop Billy
B- Audible, Combatant, Mourinho, Principe Guilherme
C-Lifes A Parlay, Personal Time, Telekinesis, Marconi, Gotta Go
$100
A:
1 – Good Magic
2 – Greyvitos
3 – Instilled Regard
B:
1 – Audible
2 – Principe Guilherme
3 – Ayacara
4 – Lombo
C:
1 – Kanthaka
2 – Noble Indy
3 – Vino Rosso
4 – Untamed Domain
5 – Bal Harbour
Group D:
1 – My Boy Jack
Group E:
1 – Mendelssohn
Posted on behalf of Julie Wright, who’s having tech problems with the site:
Group A
Free drop Billy
McKinzie
Firenze Fire
B
Lombo
Hollywood Star
Seven Trumpets
Ayacara
C
Peppered
Quip
Untamed Domain
Regulate
Shivermetimbers
Put me down for $30
Good luck everyone. Put me down for $50
A: Good Magic, McKinzie, Bolt d’Oro
B: Audible, Combatant, Ayacara, Principe Guilherme
C: Noble Indy, Mask, World of Trouble, Untamed Domain, Retirement Fund
Group A: McKinzie, Good Magic, Free Drop Billy
Group B: Audible, Mourinho, Principe Guilherme, Lombo
Group C: Copper Bullet, Mississippi, Noble Indy, Impact Player, Tenfold
(Mike MacAdam)
A
Bolt d’Oro, Solomini, Instilled Regard
B
Audible, Combatant, Principe Guilherme, Bravazo
C
Copper Bullet, Magnum Moon, Kanthaka, Ax Man, Mask
Pledge $100
Good luck, all!
Group A: McKinzie, Good Magic, Avery Island
Group B: Hollywood Star, Mourinho, Principe Guilherme, Combatant
Group C: Analyze It, Magnum Moon, Snapper Sinclair, World of Trouble, Title Ready
Donation: $100
Anonymous Donor $100
Group A – Firenze Fire, Avert Island, Enticed
Group B – Audible, Tiz Mischief, Principe Guilherme, Combatant
Group C – Strike Power, Sporting Chance, Quip, Vino Rosso, Noble Indy
Dave J – $100
A: Bolt d’Oro, Good Magic, Solomini
B: Combatant, Mourinho, Principe Guilherme, Tiz Mischief
C: Retirement Fund, Soul Beam, Untamed Domain, Magnum Moon, Vino Rosso
A
Good Magic
Bolt
Instilled Regard
B
Principe
Tiz Mischief
Audible
Mourhino
C
Mask
Faversham
Noble Indy
Copper Bullet
Kanthaka
Posting for Mary Kaye Vavasour:
A: McKinzie, Bolt dOro, Avery Island,;
B: Mourhino, Lombo, Audible, Tiz Mischief;
C: Strike Power, Maraud, Kanthaka, Kris Rocket Kat, Hazit
12:45 edit: replacing Seabhac with Strike Power
A: Good Magic, McKinzie, Free Drop Billy
B: Mourinho, Audible, Tiz Mischief, Combatant
C: Magnum Moon, Noble Indy, Promises Fulfilled, Sporting Chance, Vino Rosso
$25
$100
A:
Good Magic
McKinzie
Solomini
B:
Audible
Combatant
Príncipe Guilherme
Tiz Mischief
C:
Faversham
Kanthaka
Magnum Moon
Snapper Sinclair
Vino Rosso
A. Avery Island, Firenze Fire, Solomini
B. Mourinho, Hollywood Star, Lombo, Audible
C. Gleason, Irish Spring, Tap Rap Strike, Times Square, Kris’ Rocket Kat
$50
A. Instilled Regard. Avery Island. Ruggero.
B. Audible. Seven Trumpets. Bravazo. Combatant
C. High North. Magnun Moon. Vino Rosso.Copper Bullet. Mississippi.
$ 50
A. Catholic Boy, Avery Island, Bolt d’Oro
B. Audible, Cambatant, Hollywood Star, Seven Trumpets
C. Machismo, Mask, Sporting Chance, Wonder Gadot, Dak Attack
$40
Najja, It’s been reported that Dak Attack is off the trail. Please select another C horse before post time today.
Just talked to Najja…he’d like to add Biblical instead.
Got it!
I’ve also emailed along with a pledge… My dad will be disappointed to hear about Dak Attack. He was his future wager horse this year. Good luck everybody,
Group A
Instilled Regard
Greyvitos
Ruggero
Group B
Tiz Mischief
Ayacara
Combatant
Lombo
Group C
Faversham
Empire Line
OId Time Revival
Personal Time
Untamed Domain
Hi, Tracy– The deadline was noon today, but since you’re a repeat player and you got this in before post time, we will welcome you back! Thanks for playing and for pledging. — Teresa
Tracy and Teresa,
I just now noticed this post and will immediately add Tracy’s picks.
Group D: Bolt d’Oro
Group E: Storm Runner
D – Bolt d’Oro
E – Reride
Group D: Bolt d’Oro
Group E: Racing Raven
Catholic Boy
Exclamation Point
D-Magnum Moon
E-Justify
D: Bolt d’Ore
E: Justify
D: Magnum Moon
E: Justify
Group D / E horses: Justify & Mendelssohn
Nick,
Justify and Mendelssohn are both in Group E, you’ll need to choose one of them, and choose one horse from Group D.
Thanks,
Linda
My apologies. Revised choices are, Group D – ENTICED Group E – Mendelssohn