I can’t really believe that this is the 11th year of the Brooklyn Backstretch Kentucky Derby charity league.
Who would have thought, back in the early days of this blog (when it was still an actual blog), when I piggybacked off the Saratoga Special’s Derby fantasy league, run by Brian Nadeau, that we’d still be going strong over a decade later?
Since 2009, we’ve raised approximately $13,000 for racing charities across the country; last year, our players donated $2,900, divided among the top three finishers:
Winner: Bryan Langlois, who chose Pennsylvania Racehorse Rehoming, Rehabilitation, and Rescue
Runner-up: Matt Milligan, Second Stride
Third-place: Cindy Reid, Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program
In past years, Take the Lead, the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy, Backstretch Employees Service Team, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Days’ End Horse Rescue, Our Mims, Old Friends at Cabin Creek, ReRun, and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
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.
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.
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. Click the tabs on the bottom to find the groups of horses, and don’t freak out if you find your own name already posted—we haven’t cleaned out the document from last year. You are NOT automatically signed up if you played last year.
Stables must be posted in the comments by Saturday, February 16, by 12:00 PM ET.
After the Rebel Stakes on March 16th, 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 on March 23; supplemental horses must be selected by noon ET that day. Points earned by Group D and E horses in Round 1 will not count toward the players’ total.
A reminder post will go up the week before Round 2 begins.
The contest will conclude with the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4. 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
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 or 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.
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 several years. Chris Rossi created the document of Triple Crown nominees that made Linda’s life a lot easier. Linda also maintains the spreadsheet and generally keeps track of day-to-day operations; without her, this contest wouldn’t have been possible over the last few years.
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 
I am in $50 + $1 for every contestant that finishes ahead of me (up to a total of $200).
Group A:
Game Winner
Long Range Toddy
Signalman
Group B:
Code of Honor
Network Effect
Plus Que Parfait
War of Will
Group C:
Bourbon War
Dull Knife
Hidden Scroll
Sergei Prokofiev
Skywire
Group A: Gunmetal Grey, Game Winner, Signalman
Group B: War of Will, Not That Brady, Improbable, Code of Honor
Group C: Alwaysmining, Instagrand, Country House, Limonite, Omaha Beach
Group A: Gunmetal Gray, Tax, Mucho Gusto
Group B: War of Will, Hog Creek Hustle, Gray Attempt
Group C: Classy John, Bourbon War, Win Win Win, Frosted Ice, Garter and Tie
I’d like to pledge $50!
Please pick one more Group B horse. Thanks
Oops, yes, also Not That Brady!
Thank you, Diana!
Beychok Picks:
Group A:
Game Winner
Signalman
Well Defined
Group B:
Improbable
Bankit
Network Effect
Sueno
Group C:
Gaillean
Instagrand
Country House
BP Rocket
Gun It
I’ll do $ 100
Group A:
Game Winner
Gun Metal Gray
Mucho Gusto
Group B:
Improbable
War of Will
Network Effect
Code of Honor
Group C:
Vekoma
Instagrand
Hidden Scroll
Win Win Win
Galilean
I’ll donate $50
Thank you, Nick!
I’m in!
A-Game Winner
Gunmetal Gray
Mind Control
B-War of Will
Improbable
Sueno
Code of Honor
C- Roadster
Global Campaign
Bourbon War
Classy John
Mr. Money
$25
Thank you, Holly!
Group A: Game Winner, Gunmetal Gray, Tax
Group B: Code of Honor, Not That Brady, Our Braintrust, War of Will
Group C: Bourbon War, Garter and Tie, Instagrand, Jerome avenue, Mihos
I’m in for $50
Group A: Game Winner, Gunmetal Gray, Mucho Gusto
Group B: War of Will, Improbable, Network Effect, Gray Attempt
Croup C: Dessman, Walking Thunder, Country House, Dream Maker, Omaha Beach
Group A
Knicks Go
Maximus Mischief
Tax
Group B
Improbable
Our Braintrust
Not That Brady
Code of Honor
Group C
Classy John
Frosted Ice
Jersey Agenda
Plug and Play
Mr Money Bags
$100.00
Thanks again Teresa and Linda.
A: Mind Control, Mucho Gusto, Signalman
B: Hog Creek Hustle, Improbable, Not That Brady, War of Will
C: Country House, Frolic More, Global Campaign, Instagrand, Vekoma
$100
i’m in for $30, and here are my horses. thanks again for running the league!
Group A
— Game Winner
— Tax
— Harvey Wallbanger
Group B
— War of Will
— Improbable
— Gray Attempt
— Hog Creek Hustle
Group C
— Bourbon War
— Country House
— Dabo (becuase i’ve got to have an Illinois-bred somewhere!)
— Global Campaign (because i’ve got to have a Curlin baby somewhere!)
— Instagrand
I’m in for $50
Group A – Game Winner, Tax, Mucho Gusto
Group B – War of Will, Plus Que Parfait, Not That Brady, Improbable
Group C – Bourbon War, Hidden Scroll, Global Campaign, Nolo Contesto, Win Win Win
Group A-Game Winner, Tax, Gunmetal Gray
Group B-Improbable, Not That Brady, War of Will, Code of Honor
Group C-Instagrand, Hidden Scroll, Vekoma, Country House, Frolic More
$100
I pledge $75.
Knicks Go
Maximus Mischief
Mind Control
Bankit
Plus Que Parfait
Our Braintrust
Network Effect
Bourbon War
Limonite
Vekoma
Mucho
Nitrous
Group A – Game Winner, Mucho Gusto, Signalman
Group B – War of Will, Not That Brady, Improbable, Network Effect
Group C – Global Campaign, Hidden Scroll, Nolo Contesto, Omaha Beach, Win Win Win
I pledge $60
Posting on behalf of Tracy Levitz, who’s having WordPress probs.
Signalman
Tax
Harvey Wallbanger
Plus Que Parfait
Gray Attempt
Sueno
Code of Honor
Tacitus
Twelfth Labour
Vekoma
Town Bee
Mihos
Posting on behalf of a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, and who insanely left it to Linda and me to choose a stable:
Tax, Maximus Mischief, Game Winner
War of Will, Plus Que Parfait, Improbable, Network Effect
Bourbon War, Vekoma, Hidden Scroll, Global Campaign, Nitrous
I like this stable!!
I’m in for $50.
Group A: Game Winner, Mucho Gusto, Signalman.
Group B: War Of Will, Code Of Honor, Network Effect, Plus Que Parfait.
Group C: Alwaysmining, Global Campaign, Hidden Scroll, Mihos, Win Win Win.
I’m in for $100
Group A: Game Winner, Maximus Mischief, Mind Control
Group B: War of Will, Network Effect, Not That Brady, Improbable
Group C:Global Campaign, Instagrand, Mucho, Bourbon War, Hidden Scroll
I’m in and would like to donate $50!
Group A: Signalman, Game Winner, Mucho Gusto
Group B: Not That Brady, War of Will, Improbable, Network Effect
Group C: Vekoma, Hidden Scroll, Instagrand, Dream Maker, Omaha Beach
Thank you!
Chris O’Connor
A: Game Winner, Mucho Gusto, Long Range Toddy
B: Improbable, Network Effect, Sueno, War of Will
C: Boldor, Instagrand, Mucho, Tapit Wise, Vekoma
$50
A: Game Winner, Mucho Gusto, Gunmetal Gray
B: improbable, War of Will, Sueno, Network Effect
C: Country House, Global Campaign, Hidden Scroll, Instagrand, Vekoma
$25
A
Maximus Mischief
Mind Control
Mucho Gusto
B
Hog Creek Hustle
Bankit
Code of Honor
Improbable
C
Copper King
Cowboy Diplomacy
Gates of Dawn
Milhos
Tacitus
$100
A: Game Winner, Signalman, Mind Control
B: Improbable, War of Will, Gray Attempt, Not That Brady
C: Country House, Global Campaign, Hidden Scroll, Instagrand, Win Win Win
$50
A / Game Winner, Mind Control, Gunmetal Gray
B / Code of Honor, Improbable, Hog Creek Hustle, Not That Brady
C / Mucho, Vekoma, Instagrand, Frosted Ice, Omaha Beach
$100
D War of Will
E Dream Maker
Group A: Game Winner, Signalman, Mucho Gusto
Group B: Improbable, War of Will, Gray Attempt, Hog Creek Hustle
Group C: Derma Lourve, Hidden Scroll, Instagrand, Intrepid Heart, Walking Thunder
$40 pledge!
(edited by Teresa at 12:31pm 2/16 to add “Heart” to “Intrepid”
Pledging $100, double that if I win.
A: Game Winner, Signalman, Mucho Gusto
B: Improbable, War of Will, Code of Honor, Network Effect
C: Dream Maker, Hidden Scroll, Omaha Beach, Owendale, Vekoma
@hockeyjam2
A: Game Winner, Mucho Gusto, Tax
B: Improbably, War of Will, Code of Honor, Sueno
C: Global Campaign, Hidden Scroll, Limonite, US Navy Cross, So Alive
$100
D – Bourbon War
E – Spinoff
I pledge $50.00
Group A: Signalman, Mucho Gusto, Game Winner
Group B: War of Will, Improbable, Code of Honor, Plus Que Parfait
Group C: Country House, Dessman, Hidden Scroll, Instagrand, Moretti
Group D: Admire
Group E: Classy John
Group A:
Game Winner
Gunmetal Grey
Tax
Group B:
Code of Honor
War of Will
Hog Creek Hustle
Improbable
Group C:
Hidden Scroll
Mihos
Country House
Omaha Beach
So Alive
And I will chip in $20.
$50
Game Winner
Mucho Gusto
Maximus Mischief
Improbable
Gray Attempt
Network Effect
Code of Honor
Hidden Scroll
Instagrand
Jaywalk
Roadster
Global Campaign
Posted on behalf of Puck Bunny Stables, who is having WordPress probs. Received 11:34 am ET.
Puck Bunny Stable is in for $50
A: Game Winner, Mind Control, Harvey Wallbanger
B: Improbable, Not That Brady, Code of Honor, Network Effect
C: More Ice, Bourbon War, Epic Dreamer, Federal Case, Galilean
More WordPress probs. Picked received at 11:47 am ET.
Ed DeRosa
Game winner
Long range toddy
Well defined
Improbable
Plus que parfait
War of will
Sueno
Owendale
Galilean
Nitrous
Vekoma
Win win win
$100
Game winner
Long range toddy
Well defined
Improbable
Plus que parfait
War of will
Sueno
Owendale
Galilean
Nitrous
Vekoma
Win win win
Group A
Game Winner
Mind Control
Mucho Gusto
Group B
Improbable
War of Will
Code of Honor
Ever fast
Group C
Country House
Hidden Scroll
Win Win Win
Vekoma
Instagrand
A friend of mine who wishes to remain anonymous just got in touch with me and pledged $500.
!!!!!!
I told him that if he could get me a stable by 1:30, I’d count it, even though he was OK with just donating and not playing.
I made the call to accept it after the deadline…if you have concerns about that, please let me know.
Game Winner
Well Defined
Mind Control
Improbable
Network Effect
Sueno
Plus Que Parfait
Colliery
Counter Offer
Federal Case
Millwall
Tone Broke
That’s awesome!!
Exception #2…a late stable that is accompanied by another $500 donation, this one by Patrick MacWilliams.
Wow. People’s generosity is staggering.
Can I be bought? Yes. But not after post time. 😜
Again…if you find this problematic, please let me know.
A
Harvey Wallbanger
Tax
Maximus Mischief
B
Gray Affect
Everfast
Our Braintrust
Not That Brady
C
Mihos
Oncewerebrothers
Cairo Cutie
Admire
Castle Casanova
Got it!
More WordPress probs! Julie sent her horses to me for posting
For Julie Wright
A
Signalman
Gunmetal Gray
Well Defined
B
Improbable
War of Will
Sueno
Our Braintrust
C
Hidden Scroll
Mihos
Sergei Prokofiev
Somelikeithotbrown
Country House
She’s in!
Darn!
Network Effect Off Derby Trail
2/17/2019 1:49 pm
Per a report by DRF Live, Network Effect is off the Triple Crown trail due to “a minor setback,” trainer Chad Brown said Sunday.
https://www.thedowneyprofile.com/more_racing_news/2019/02/17/network-effect-off-derby-trail.3466748
I had the same reaction when I saw that today. One down in my stable…and we just got started.
Bummer.
D – Omaha Beach
E – Bankit
D – Mucho Gusto
E – Limonite
D- Bourbon War
E- Wicked Indeed
D- Somelikeithotbrown
E- U S Navy Cross
Group D: Long Range Toddy
Group E: Sueno
Posting on behalf of Julie Wright:
D: Anothertwistafate
E: Sir Winston
D: Haikal
E: Van Beethoven
Late nom sub
Drop Van Beethoven
Add Hoff’s Union
D: Haikal
E: Limonite
Group D: Omaha Beach
Group E: Nolo Contesto
D: War of Will
E: Hidden Scroll
Please replace War of Will with Spun to Run
Group D: Country House
Group E: Walking Thunder
Group D: Long Range Toddy
Group E: Alwaysmining