Didn’t we just do this? Like…a few months ago?
A huge thanks to everyone who participated in last year’s elongated (interminable?), unconventional charity league. I’m grateful to all of you who stuck it out through revised schedules and added races and a prep season that seemed like it might never end.
When we launched this in 2009, we were able to donate several hundred years to a racing charity.
Last year? Particpants pledged just over $2,000, bringing the total of money pleddged/donated since we started this 13 years ago to $15,000. That is an incredible testament to your generosity.
So let’s do it again! Let’s raise money to benefit the horses and humans that make this sport possible–you don’t have to be an ace handicapper to have a shot at some of the prize money!
Last year’s winner and recipients
Winner: Robert Marks, 2019 runner-up who chose Backstretch Employee Service Team
Runner-up: Hot Scot Racing, who chose Florida Thoroughbred Retirement and Adoptive Care
Third-place: Joe Clancy, who chose New York Racetrack Chaplaincy
In past years, recipients have included, 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, Second Stride, and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue and Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program
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 is 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 300-120-60-30-15, respectivly, for the top five finishers.
We divided the Triple Crown-nominated horses into three groups (select “GroupsABC” at the tab on the bottom of the page) 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 post your selections as a comment on this post.
Stables must be posted in the comments by Friday, February 26, by 12:00 PM ET.
After the Rebel Stakes on March 13, 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 20; 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 1. The winning stable will have the most accumulated points. In the unlikely event of a tie, ties will be broken as follows:
- Highest number of Derby starters in your stable
- Highest number 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. 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 
Teresa I don’t know if I’m doing this correctly but here goes:
12 Barn Horses Group A Essential Quality Midnight Bourbon Jackie’s Warrior
Group B Get Her Number Risk Taking Greatest Honour Caddo River
Group C Alejandro Cool Rags Law Professor Perfect Munnings Shaftesbury
I’ll give $75 to charity
Sent from my iPhone
Group A
Mandaloun
Essential Quality
Medina Spirit
Group B
Risk Taking
Candy Man Rocket
Greatest Honour
Life is Good
Group C
Concert Tour
Dream Shake
Fire At Will
Prevalence
The Great One
Thanks again for running the contest which I greatly enjoy. I forgot to mention that I will pledge $200 to the contest pool.
Jill L. Group A (1) Jackie’s Warrior (2) Midnight Bourbon (3) Proxy
Group B (1) Brooklyn Strong (2) Life Is Good (3) Risk Taking (4) Greatest Honour
Group C (1) Whiskey Double( 2) Money Mike (3) Fire At Will (4) Joe Man Joe (5) Son of Thunder
Donation this year $125.00
Peggi L. Group A – Mandaloun, Proxy, Speilberg
Group B – Risk Taking, Candy Man Rocket, Greatest Honour, Brooklyn Strong
Group C – Nova Rags, Waspirant, Petruchio, Concert Tour, Hello Hot Rod
Donation $50.00
Joe Clancy.
A: Essential Quality, Mandaloun, Proxy.
B: Caddo River, Candy Man Rocket, Greatest Honour, Life Is Good.
C: Annex, Dream Shake, Highly Motivated, Prate, Prevalence.
Donation: $50.
A. Mandaloun, Essential Quality , Medina Spirit
B. Caddo River , Candy Man Rocket , Greatest Honour , Life is Good
C. Concert Tour , Dream Shake, Fire At Will , Prevalance , The Great One
Donation $500
Robert Marks
A:Essential Quality;Jackies Warrior;Mandaloun
B: Greatest Honour;Hot Rod Charlie;Life is Good;Risk Takinjg
C: Concert Tour; Freedom Fighter;Fire at Will;Prevalence;Swiftsure
Donation: $250
Tracy Levitz
Group A
(1) Rombauer (2) Essential Quality (3) Proxy
Group B
(1) Greatest Honour (2) Candy Man Rocket (3) O Besos (4) Get Her Number
Group C
(1) Fire At Will (2) Nova Rags (3) Speaker’s Corner (4) Tiz Tact Toe (5) By George
I emailed Teresa with the donation. Good luck and good health, everybody.
This might show up twice…
Group A: Mandaloun, Midnight Bourbon, Keepmeinmind
Group B: Caddo River, Risk Taking, Greatest Honour, Brooklyn Strong
Group C: Fire At Will, Annex, Prevalence, Prate, Nova Rags
I’ll make my annual contribution of $50 to the winners choices 🙂
Group A: Essential Quality – Medina Spirit – Mandoulin
Group B: Caddo River – Greatest Honour – Hot Rod Charlie – Life is Good
Group C: Dynamic One – Highly Motivated – Prevalence – The Great One – Roman Centurian
Donation: $50
A
Mandaloun
Medina Spirit
Essential Quality
B
Greatest Honour
Candy Man Rocket
Caddo River
Life Is Good
C
Senor Buscador
Prime Factor
Roman Centurian
Concert Tour
Freedom Fighter
$50
Thanks!
Doug S
Grp A – Mandaloun – Essential Quality -Alain Barrows (JPN)
Grp B – Hot Rod Charlie – Greatest Honour – Risk Taking – Caddo River
Grp C – Prevalence – Highly Motivated – Dream Shake – Senor Buscador- Swiftsure
$200
thank you, Michael Beychok
Posted on behalf of Lynne Cassimeris
Group A: Medina Spirit; Proxy; Mandaloun.
Group B: Life is Good; Greatest Honor; Caddo River; Candy Man Rocket
Group C: Primer Factor; Overtook; Fire at Will; Concert Tour; Mutasaabeq
A : Mandaloun, Essential Quality, Keepmeinmind
B : Greatest Honour, Life Is Good, Caddo River, Candy Man Rocket
C : Freedom Fighter, The Great One, Prevalence, Highly Motivated, Roman Centurian
I’m in for $25. Good luck everyone!
Thanks for doing this again! I’ll pledge $30, and here are my horses:
Group A: Medina Spirit, Essential Quality, Keepmeinmind
Group B: Caddo River, Greatest Honour, Life Is Good, Candy Man Rocket
Group C: Nicky the Vest, Roman Centurian, Run Classic, Known Agenda, Dream Shake
Thanks so much Teresa! I’ll donate $50
Group A
Mandaloun
Midnight Bourbon
Capo Kane
Group B
Candy Man Rocket
Get Her Number
Greatest Honour
Risk Taking
Group C
Concert Tour
Exhaulted Joy
Money Mike
Nova Rags
Prevalence
Thanks Teresa. I hope I’m doing this correctly
I’ll donate $50
Group A
Capo Kane
Mandaloun
Midnight Bourbon
Group B
Candy Man Rocket
Get Her Number
Greatest Honour
Risk Taking
Group C
Concert Tour
Exhaulted Joy
Money Mike
Nova Rags
Prevalence
Essential Quality
Mandaloun
Medina Spirit
Risk Taking
Greatest Honour
Life is Good
Candy Man Rocket
Elector
Highly Motivated
Prevalence
Dream Shake
Concert Tour
I will pledge $25 🙂
Group A – Essential Quality, Proxy, Medina Spirit
Group B – Life is Good, Greatest Honour, Risk Taking, Get Her Number
Group C – Ghazaaly, Prevalence, Swiftsure, Nicky the Vest, Concert Tour
$100
A:
Essential Quality,
Keep Me in Mind
Mandaloun
B:
Caddo River
Greatest Honour
Life is Good
Risk Taking
C:
Concert Tour
Fire at Will
Freedom Fighter
Highly Motivated
Prevalance
Essential Quality
Proxy
Medina Spirit
Risk Taking
Greatest Honour
Caddo River
Life is Good
Concert Tour
Freedom Fighter
Known Agenda
Highly Motivated
Senor Buscador
Thanks for keeping this going!
$50
Group A: Essential Quality, Jackie’s Warrior, Mandaloun
Group B: Greatest Honour, Caddo River, Life Is Good, Risk Taking
Group C: Prevalence, Concert Tour, Tarantino, The Great One, Nicky the Vest
$75
A
Essential Quality
Proxy
Medina Spirit
B
Life is Good
Risk Taking
Caddo River
Greater Honour
C
Beep Beep
Fire at Will
Lemon Pop
Leblon
Warrent
$100
Here we go again:
Group A: Essential Quality, Medina Spirit, Proxy
Group B: Greatest Honour, Life is Good, Candy Man Rocket, Caddo River
Group C: Roman Centurian, Prevalence, Tarantino, Freedom Fighter, Concert Tour
Group A: Midnight Bourbon, Rombauer, Capo Kane
Group B: Sittin On Go, Risk Taking, Brooklyn Strong, Candyman Rocket
Group C: One Fast Cat, Nicky The Vest, Gretzky the Great, Petruchio, The Great One
Posting on behalf of an anonymous participant:
$100 pledge
Group A: Essential Quality, Jackie’s Warrior, Mandaloun
Group B: Greatest Honour, Brooklyn Strong, Caddo River, Risk Taking
Group C: Nicky The Vest, Concert Tour, Fire at Will, Swiftsure, Prevalance
A:
Medina Spirit
Capo Kane
Keepmeinmind
B:
Caddo River
Hot Rod Charlie
Greatest Honour
Candy Man Rocket
C:
Pickin Time
Big Thorn
Roman Centurian
Fire at Will
Hidden Stash
$100, thanks and good luck to all!
I’m in for $50
A: Essential Quality, Keepmeinmind, Jackie’s Warrior
B: Cowan, Hot Rod Charlie, Candyman Rocket, Caddo River
C: Outadore, Nova Rags, Mutasaabeq, Hidden Stash, Super Stock
Supposed to pick our group D and E horses by noon today?
D: Weyburn.
E: Known Agenda.
D: Proxy
E: Prevalence
Thanks!
Doug
D. Hot Rod Charlie
E. Call of Honor
D. Concert Tour E. Known Agenda
D: O Besos
E: Brooklyn Strong
Weyburn and Known Agenda.
Not that it will help 😁
D: Rombauer
E: Hush of a Storm
D: Essential Quality
E: Prevalence
D: Weyburn
E: Known Agenda
D: Speilberg
E: Prevalence
D. Midnight Bourbon
E. Hush of a Storm
For my stable:
Group D: Weyburn
Group E: Nova Rags
For the anonymous stable:
Group D: Midnight Bourbon
Group E: Gretzky the Great
Posting on behalf of Lynne Cassimeris:
D list: Hot Rod Charlie
E list: Untreated
D: Hot Rod Charlie
E: Collaborate
D: Hot Rod Charlie
E: Dream Shake