ZENYATTA TOPS 2009 DRAFT

We recently conducted our fantasy horse racing league draft. Our league has been in existence since the Daily Racing Form’s Michael Hammersly started it in 1986. I have been the Fantasy Stable League (FSL) commissioner since 2000.

The FSL season begins each year on Thanksgiving Day and runs through the Breeders’ Cup the following year. Our draft order is determined by random draw.

I’m coming off a very frustrating 2008. In the random draw for 2008, I did not get the No. 1 pick. So, right off the bat, I didn’t get to draft Curlin. Gary West of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram won the “Curlin lottery.”

The scoring in the FSL is based primarily on graded races. For a Grade I race, you earn 12 points for a victory, 6 for second and 4 for third. For a Grade II, it’s 8-4-2. For a Grade III, it’s 6-3-1. For any ungraded race, you get 4 for a win, but nothing for second or third. For any other race, you get 2 for a win, but again nothing for second or third.

We also have bonus races. The biggies are the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic (36-18-12). The other bonus races (24-12-6) are the Apple Blossom Handicap, Kentucky Oaks, Met Mile, Pacific Classic, Beverly D., Arlington Million and all of the Breeders’ Cup races other than the Classic.

Two claims per month are allowed. When a horse is claimed, someone from the roster must be dropped.

My biggest 2008 disappointment came in March. After Big Brown won an allowance race by 12 3/4 lengths in his 2008 debut at Gulfstream Park on March 5, I submitted a claim for him.

The record for the biggest shakes in our league is six (Pulpit in 1997, Mossflower in 1998 and Honest Lady in 1999). After Big Brown’s big 2008 debut, I expected to see maybe six, seven or even eight claims submitted for him.

Much to my surprise, only one other league member, Gary West, put in a claim for Big Brown.

“Great,” I thought. “I have a 50-50 chance to get Big Brown.”

But I lost the shake. The rich got richer, with West adding Big Brown to his stable, which already included Curlin. Big Brown would go on to earn 76 points for West.

This was similar to what had happened to me in 2006. After
Bernardini won the Preakness Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths, I submitted a claim for him. As in the case of Big Brown, only one other claim was submitted for Bernardini. But I lost that shake, too. Bernardini would go on to earn 50 points by registering wins in the Jim Dandy Stakes, Travers Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup and finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Even though West had both Curlin and Big Brown, he did not win the 2008 title. Michael Hammersly, who led until being overtaken by West in September, won the title thanks largely to winning three Breeders’ Cup races (Stardom Bound, Goldikova and Midnight Lute).

After the disappointment of 2008, now I can turn the page and look ahead to 2009. But 2009 already is not off to a good start. Once again, I did not get the No. 1 pick in the random draw. In fact, I have been in this league since 1990 and have never had the No. 1 pick. This time it meant that I would not get to draft Zenyatta. Darren Rogers, senior director of communications at Churchill Downs, won the “Zenyatta lottery.”

Since I became commissioner, the other No. 1 FSL picks have been General Challenge (for 2000), Tiznow (for 2001), Monarchos (for 2002), Vindication (for 2003), Halfbridled (for 2004), Ghostzapper (for 2005), Stevie Wonderboy (for 2006), Discreet Cat (for 2007) and Curlin (for 2008).

General Challenge did pretty well. He earned 32 points in 2000.

Tiznow did even better. He managed to earn 66 points in 2001, culminated by his second Breeders’ Cup Classic victory.

Monarchos failed to get a single point in 2002. He made only one start, finishing third in an allowance/optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park early that year.

Vindication also earned zero points in 2003. He never raced again after winning the 2002 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Halfbridled totaled 10 points in 2004.

Ghostzapper earned 24 points in 2005. He won his only start that year, taking the Met Mile (a bonus race).

Stevie Wonderboy earned 4 points in 2006. He made only one start that year, finishing second to Brother Derek in the Grade II San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita.

Discreet Cat earned 12 points for winning the Cigar Mile. However, he would earn only 8 more points.

Curlin earned a total of 54 points in 2008.

Now we will see how many points No. 1 pick Zenyatta compiles in 2009.

Here are the horses taken in the 2009 FSL draft:

1. Zenyatta
2. Stardom Bound
3. Artiste Royal
4. Commentator
5. Old Fashioned
6. Storm Play
7. Cocoa Beach
8. Whatsthescript
9. Arson Squad
10. Forever Together
11. Visit
12. Into Mischief
13. Indian Blessing
14. Alpha Kitten
15. Harlem Rocker
16. Tiago
17. Capt. Candyman Can
18. Colonel John
19. Tale of Ekati
20. Hyperbaric
21. Sky Diva
22. Dream Empress
23. Vineyard Haven
24. Well Armed
25. Court Vision
26. Sara Louise
27. Lieutenant Ron
28. Gio Ponti
29. Fatal Bullet
30. Precious Kitten
31. Hello Broadway
32. Square Eddie
33. Shakis
34. El Gato Malo
35. Madeo
36. Albertus Maximus
37. Visionaire
38. Winchester
39. Kodiak Kowboy
40. Ariege
41. Believe in Hope
42. Chocolate Candy
43. Champs Elysees
44. Roshani
45. Muny
46. Lord Admiral
47. Country Star
48. Wanderin Boy
49. Ginger Brew
50. Proud Spell
51. Break Water Edison
52. Majormotionpicture
53. Monterey Jazz
54. Georgie Boy
55. Pamona Ball
56. Church Service
57. Einstein
58. Cowboy Cal
59. Ventura
60. Euroears
61. Auspicious
62. Backseat Rhythm
63. Ain’t Love Grand
64. Spring Waltz

While Rogers was lucky to get the No. 1 pick and Zenyatta, he already has had some bad luck. He took Shakis at No. 33. Shakis, a multiple Grade II winner, was euthanized last Friday after suffering a severe leg injury following a four-furlong workout in :49 1/5 on Hollywood Park’s Cushion track. The 8-year-old horse, who finished 11th in last month’s Breeders’ Cup Mile, was to have made his final career start in this Friday’s Grade I Citation Handicap at Hollywood prior to going to stud.

These were my 2008 FSL draft selections:

6. Storm Play. With Zenyatta, Stardom Bound and Old Fashioned already gone by the time it was my turn, I opted for Storm Play. A son of Smart Strike (sire of Curlin), Storm Play is three for three and looks like he could be a special colt. He recorded a 109 Beyer Speed Figure in his most recent start when he won Aqueduct’s Best of Luck Stakes at 1 1/8 miles by 6 1/4 lengths on Oct. 29. At the time I drafted him, I was hoping that Storm Play would go in the Grade I Cigar Mile this Saturday at Aqueduct instead of last Saturday’s Grade II Discovery Handicap at the Big A. At least that seems to have worked out for me. Storm Play did skip the Discovery and is listed among those expected to run in the Cigar Mile.

11. Visit. I did not really like my draft this year. But I do like this filly a lot. She is scheduled to run in this Sunday’s Grade I Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park. Visit had the lead with a furlong to go before finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. In England, she won a Group III race and finished a respectable third behind a pair of classy rivals in Halfway to Heaven and Darjina in a Group I event.

22. Dream Empress. I had hoped to get Sky Diva with this pick. But West took her at No. 21. So I took Dream Empress, who finished second to Stardom Bound in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Sky Diva was third. Dream Empress is slated to compete in the Grade II Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs this Saturday.

27. Lieutenant Ron. According to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, Lieutenant Ron is very talented. At the time of the draft, the colt had won three of four career starts. In his three victories, he had posted Beyer Speed Figures of 101, 102 and 103. I took Lieutenant Ron even though I knew he was supposed to run in last Saturday’s Grade III Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct. Because the Discovery was before Thanksgiving Day and the start of our fantasy season, I would not get any points from the race. As it turned out, even if the Discovery had come after our season had started, I still would not have earned any points from Lieutenant Ron, who finished fifth as the 6-5 favorite. I was so disappointed by his performance that I already have dropped him and replaced him with Indygo Mountain, a 2-year-old A.P. Indy colt who was a 6 1/4-length maiden winner at Churchill Downs last Wednesday. This was the first year I had not drafted a 2-year-old male. But after Indygo Mountain showed last week that he likes the dirt at Churchill Downs, I now hope he also will win the Kentucky Derby on the dirt at Churchill Downs next May.

38. Winchester. I took Winchester thinking he would be running in this Sunday’s Grade I Hollywood Derby. But now it looks like he might go instead in the Grade I Hollywood Turf Cup on Dec. 6. Owned by Diana and Bert Firestone, Winchester finished seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Turf after winning the Grade I Secretariat Stakes by 7 1/4 lengths at Arlington Park on Aug. 9. Winchester earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure in the Secretariat. Spirit One recorded a 103 Beyer for his Arlington Million triumph on the same card. Winchester, bred in Virginia by the Firestones, raced in Ireland and England prior to the Secretariat. I am hoping that the Firestones might keep Winchester in this country after the Hollywood Derby or Hollywood Turf Cup rather than send him back to Europe.

43. Champs Elysees. I drafted him thinking he might be running in the Hollywood Turf Cup. He also might be able to do well in races on a synthetic track in 2009. In two starts on a synthetic surface in 2008, Champs Elysees ran third in the 2008 Santa Anita Handicap and eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. In the Classic, he finished just a neck behind Colonel John and 2 1/2 lengths behind Curlin. In addition to losing a shake for Big Brown in 2008, I lost a shake for Champs Elysees. There were a total of six FSL shakes in 2008. I was involved in five of them. I was zero for five.

54. Georgie Boy. I had hoped to get Monterey Jazz with this pick. But West took him at No. 53. I had claimed Monterey Jazz following his victory in the Strub Stakes last Feb. 2. After Monterey Jazz finished 12th as the 7-2 favorite in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 1, I dropped him. Monterey Jazz then rebounded to win the Texas Mile at Lone Star Park by eight lengths while earning a huge (118) Beyer Speed Figure. Looking back, I probably should have drafted Monterey Jazz at No. 27, No. 38 or No. 43. We’ll see if that comes back to haunt me. Monterey Jazz could haunt me as soon as this Saturday. Daily Racing Form’s David Grening quoted trainer Craig Dollase this week as saying that Monterey Jazz is being sent to New York to run in the Cigar Mile. If I had known that before the draft, I certainly would have taken Monterey Jazz at No. 27, No. 38 or No. 43. Additionally, the presence of Monterey Jazz.That in the Cigar Mile certainly will not help the chances of Storm Play, my first-round pick. With Monterey Jazz gone at No. 54, I took Georgie Boy, who is scheduled to run in the Grade I Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26. Georgie Boy, the first Kathy Walsh trainee drafted in the history of the FSL, finished fourth in the Damascus Stakes at Oak Tree on Oct. 24 following a layoff. I’m hoping Georgie Boy will improve with the Damascus under his belt and hit the board in the Malibu.

59. Ventura. This is probably the best thing that happened to me at the draft. I was quite surprised that Ventura was still on the board in the final round after her scintillating four-length win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. The last time I won the FSL title in 2003, I was able to get Congaree with the No. 53 pick. His stock had fallen considerably. But I thought Congaree definitely was worth taking at No. 53, if for no other reason that I thought he might win the Cigar Mile. And if he did not run well in the Cigar Mile, I could always drop him. Congaree won the Cigar Mile by 5 1/2 lengths for 12 points. He would earn me a total of 62 points. It’s that kind of production from a No. 53 pick that can key a fantasy league title. I’d certainly like to see that kind of production from Ventura. It’s possible. Trainer Bobby Frankel told Daily Racing Form’s Brad Free (the 2001 FSL winner) that he plans to run Ventura in the Grade I Santa Monica Handicap and Grade II San Carlos Handicap. That’s a potential 20 points. And, of course, I’m hoping Ventura can win the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint again in 2009 for an additional 24 points.