Our horse racing fantasy league held its annual draft this past Monday (Nov. 20). It’s called the Fantasy Stable League (FSL). Daily Racing Form handicapper Michael Hammersly started this league all the way back in 1986. I joined it in 1990 while I was working for the DRF. I have been the league’s commissioner since 2000.

I won the FSL title in 2021. Hammersly finished atop the final standings in 2022. The team of Darren Rogers and Jim Gates then garnered the 2023 FSL title following this year’s Breeders’ Cup races.

How long did Monday’s draft take? It began at 6 a.m. PT and concluded at 3:55 p.m.

This fantasy league consists of eight members scattered across the country in Arizona, California (three members), Kentucky (two members), New York and Texas. Each member drafts eight horses. Our league begins each year on Thanksgiving and continues through the final Breeders’ Cup race the following year.

In terms of FSL scoring, only races in the United States, in Canada, on the Dubai World Cup card and the Saudi Cup count. The Saudi Cup is considered a Grade I race for our point-earning purposes.

This is how our scoring system works:

--A Grade I race is worth 12, 6 and 4 points for first, second and third.

--A Grade II race is worth 8, 4 and 2 for first, second and third.

--A Grade III race is worth 6, 3 and 1 for first, second and third.

--An ungraded stakes race is worth 4 for first.

--All other races are worth 2 for first.

--All Canadian races are downgraded one level, except the Woodbine Mile, Northern Dancer Turf, Canadian International and E.P. Taylor.

--The most valuable bonus races are the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic (36, 18, 12). The other bonus races (24, 12, 8) are the Apple Blossom, Kentucky Oaks, Met Mile, Sword Dancer Stakes, Diana Stakes and all of the other Breeders’ Cup races.

Each FSL league member can make two claims per month. When someone makes a claim, they must drop one horse from their stable.

In addition to the two claims per month, we have “super claims,” which is simply an additional claim to the two each month. One “super claim” can be made through the traditional day of the Belmont Stakes in June. The other “super claim” can be made after that.

Our draft order is determined by reversing the order of the previous year’s final standings.

As for trainers and the 2024 draft, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert and Brad Cox tied for having the most horses taken. Baffert and Cox each train 10 of the 64 horses drafted Monday.

These have been the leading trainers in terms of horses drafted going back to 2016:

Year Trainer (Horses Drafted)

2024: Bob Baffert (10), Brad Cox (10), Chad Brown (9), Todd Pletcher (6)

2023: Chad Brown (8), Bob Baffert (8), Brad Cox (7), Todd Pletcher (7)

2022 Chad Brown (8), Bob Baffert (7), Brad Cox (7), Todd Pletcher (7)

2021 Brad Cox (10), Chad Brown (8)

2020 Chad Brown (11), Bob Baffert (7)

2019 Chad Brown (12), Bob Baffert (11)

2018 Bob Baffert (11), Chad Brown (9)

2017 Chad Brown (11), Bob Baffert (8)

2016 Chad Brown (9), Todd Pletcher (7)

Into Mischief was the top sire for the 2024 draft. His sons or daughters taken were Mullion (No. 8), Leslie’s Rose (No. 10), Pretty Mischievous (No. 28), Timberlake (No. 35), Everso Mischievous (No. 36), Gina Romantica (No. 41) and Catherine Wheel (No. 59).

The top sire for the 2023 draft also was Into Mischief. His sons or daughters taken were Extra Anejo (No. 1), Hoosier Philly (No. 12), Dazzling Blue (No. 23), Wonder Wheel (No. 24) and Played Hard (No. 49).

Below, in order, were the 64 Thoroughbreds drafted Monday (my selections are capitalized):

1. Fierceness

2. White Abarrio

3. Nysos

4. Locked

5. NASH

I would have taken Fierceness, White Abarrio or Nysos, but they were off the board by the time it was my turn to pick at No. 5. I like Locked a lot, but I wouldn’t have taken him if he had been available at No. 5 because I like Nash better. Hence, Nash, a 2-year-old Godolphin homebred colt, was my selection with the No. 5 pick.

After finishing second in a Keeneland maiden sprint at first asking on Oct. 7, Nash won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Churchill Downs by 10 1/4 lengths on Nov. 12.

In his maiden win, Nash posted fractional splits “of an entirely plausible Kentucky Derby winner: :23.83, :24.10, :24.48, :24.40, :06.34,” Daily Racing Form’s Marcus Hersh wrote. “Accounting for the run-up at the start, Nash went his fourth quarter about as fast as his first quarter-mile, and accounting for the fact that the race’s outcome had been decided well behind the eighth pole, and that Nash’s work already was done, his final half-furlong doesn’t suggest the colt was tiring, either.”

Nash recorded a 95 Beyer Speed Figure in his maiden score. I consider it to be a 95+ because he was being geared down toward the end, something the Beyers do not take into account.

Nash and jockey Florent Geroux went immediately to the lead in his maiden triumph, “the colt throwing his ears up when he hit the backstretch and going along well within himself,” Hersh wrote. “He changed leads at the quarter pole like an old pro and when Geroux finally asked for something, Nash quickly opened a huge margin. This wasn’t just the false visual impression of acceleration, which we see all the time on dirt, but actual quickening by a 2-year-old making his second start in a dirt route. That’s strong stuff, and Nash is a very strong prospect.”

Many years ago, Nash’s sire, Medaglia d’Oro, did well for me when I had him on my roster in this fantasy league.

6. First Mission

7. West Sunset

8. Mullion

9. Integration

10. Leslie’s Ride

11. Idiomatic

12. ARABIAN KNIGHT

I had seriously considered taking Arabian Night at No. 5. But I opted instead for Nash because I didn’t think there was any chance he would still be available at No. 12. Based on the feedback I received after drafting Nash, I am absolutely sure he would have been gone when it came time for me to make this pick at No. 12. And much to my surprise, I was able to get Arabian Knight at No. 12.

I debated between taking Extra Anejo or Arabian Knight with the No. 1 overall pick for the 2023 draft. I chose Extra Anejo, which did not turn out well. Arabian Knight would have turned out much better. And so I was quite pleased to get Arabian Knight in the draft this time.

I don’t think there is any question that Arabian Knight is very talented. I have found that it tends to be a good idea to draft very talented horses whenever one can.

Clockers I respect raved about Arabian Knight’s workouts leading up to the BC Classic. Yes, Arabian Knight finished fourth in the BC Classic, but I thought he actually ran well to lose by just 2 1/2 lengths after being sent so hard away from the gate by Flavien Prat that you would have thought they were in a 350-yard dash at Los Alamitos instead of in a 1 1/4-mile race.

One of the FSL bonus races is the Pacific Classic. Arabian Knight won the Pacific Classic this year as a 3-year-old. Now that he’s on my FSL roster, I sure wouldn’t mind seeing him win the Pacific Classic again next summer.

13. Xiegera

14. Tamara

15. Randomized

16. Thorpedo Anna

17. Strong Quality

18. Whitebeam

19. National Treasure

20. Knightsbridge

21. BOOTH

It’s only the third round and already I was experiencing draft disappointment. While there is no way that I would have taken Whitebeam over Arabian Knight at No. 12, I did want Whitebeam very much here at No. 21. But, nope, Whitebeam was gobbled up at No. 18. I then set my sights on Knightsbridge. But, nope again, he was taken at No. 20. Darn and double darn. So I decided to take Booth here at No. 21 for a couple of reasons.

First, when Booth won a six-furlong maiden race by 5 1/4 lengths while debuting at Keeneland on Oct. 7, he trounced the 2-year-old I drafted at No. 5, Nash. Booth was credited with a serious 96 Beyer Speed Figure for that performance. It appears to me that Booth just might be a very talented colt, perhaps Arabian Knight-ish. Granted, being by Eclipse Award-winning male sprinter Mitole might mean that Booth is going to be best as a sprinter or sprinter/miler. But keep in mind that there may be more stamina here than many think. Mitole is a half-brother to the Grade I-winning router Hot Rod Charlie.

Second, regardless of what happens down the line, I am hoping to get some FSL points right away with Booth. He is the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong Ed Brown Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday (Nov. 25).

22. Risk It

23. Program Trading

24. Muth

25. Goodnight Olive

26. Nest

27. Hejazi

28. PRETTY MISCHIEVOUS

Yet again, I had hoped to get someone else at No. 28. That someone else was two-time BC Filly & Mare Sprint winner Goodnight Olive, who was taken at No. 25. Though I was unable to get one champion in Goodnight Olive, at least I did get a likely champion Pretty Mischievous, who is expected to be voted a 2023 Eclipse Award in the 3-year-old filly division.

What I especially like about getting Pretty Mischievous is I would think that she is a possibility to run in the first FSL bonus race of the 2024, the Apple Blossom Handicap.

29. Sierra Leone

30. Hong Kong Harry

31. Webslinger

32. Vahva

33. Anisette

34. Tarifa

35. Timberlake

36. Everso Mischievous

37. THE WINE STEWARD

Not getting Tarifa here at No. 37 was my biggest disappointment of the draft. I sure hope I don’t end up kicking myself for not taking this 2-year-old filly earlier when I could have. A six-length debut winner at Keeneland on Oct. 25, she is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s fourth at Churchill, a one-mile allowance/optional claiming contest around one turn.

With Tarifa gone, I decided to take The Wine Steward. I thought, “Why not take The Wine Steward here at No. 37 when he was good enough to come so close to beating the No. 4 pick, Locked, in the Breeders’ Futurity?” The Wine Steward finished second in the Breeders’ Futurity, losing by only a half-length to Locked.

The Wine Steward was scratched from the BC Juvenile, but I was willing to take him at this point in the draft anyway. Don’t forget that colt scratched from the 2014 BC Juvenile did go on to have a huge 2015. His name? American Pharoah. After missing the 2014 BC Juvenile, American Pharoah swept the Triple Crown and won the BC Classic in 2015. Look, in no way am I saying that The Wine Steward is anywhere close to as good as American Pharoah. I’m just saying that being scratched from the 2023 BC Juvenile is not necessarily something to preclude The Wine Steward from doing well in 2024.

The Wine Steward’s sire is Vino Rosso. Vino Rosso was on my FSL roster when he won the 2019 BC Classic. I also earned a lot of FSL points with The Wine Steward’s maternal grandsire, To Honour and Serve, who won the Grade I Cigar Mile in 2011 and the Grade I Woodward Stakes in 2012.

38. Candied

39. Awesome Road

40. Fort Bragg

41. Gina Romantica

42. Where’s Chris

43. Carbone

44. SPEED BOAT BEACH

Well, I took Speed Boat Beach because I considered him to be the best available horse at No. 44. He was my pick to win the BC Sprint. He finished fourth to Elite Power, Gunite and Nakatomi. It’s not as if Speed Boat Beach embarrassed himself. He finished two lengths behind Elite Power, one of this country’s best sprinters in recent years.

Speed Boat Beach, trained by Baffert, is a candidate for Santa Anita’s Grade I Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs on opening day Dec. 26. Two other salty Baffert trainees, Hejazi and Fort Bragg, also are eyeing the Malibu. That’s a reason why I’m not thrilled about picking Speed Boat Beach. Plus, no question I’d like Speed Boat Beach more in the Malibu if he was going to be asked to go six furlongs instead of seven. But at least he did have the stamina to win a one-mile grass affair at Del Mar in 2022.

45. Gasoline

46. Redistricting

47. Dornoch

48. Seal Team

49. Stolen Magic

50. Derma Sotogake

51. Nothing Like You

52. Parchment Party

53. ADARE MANOR

I had hoped Dornoch might be still available here at No. 53. But he was taken at No. 47. With Dornoch gone, I had Ruby Nell in mind at this point. But I decided to not take her because I was confident she’d probably still be available for my final pick at No. 60.

Because the cupboard was left pretty bare by this point in the draft in terms of horses for the Grade I Hollywood Derby on Dec. 2, I felt it might be prudent to look further down the road. And so Adare Manor was my pick at No. 53. Even though she could do no better than seventh in the BC Distaff, she was a multiple graded stakes winner this year while earning 38 FSL points. It appears to me that the older filly and mare division in Southern California again will not be all that deep in 2024, which means Adare Manor might again rack up a lot of FSL points.

54. Balladeer

55. Queen Goddess

56. Accretive

57. Saudi Crown

58. Newgrange

59. Catherine Wheel

60. RUBY NELL

I was right that Ruby Nell was not taken by anyone before this. I honestly think there is a chance that with this 3-year-old filly, I just might have taken the winner of the Grade I Matriarch Stakes in the last round of the draft.

Ruby Nell won’t be favored in the Matriarch. That role is expected to be played by Whitebeam, which is why I wanted to get her with the No. 21 pick. I also wanted Whitebeam because she was one of my two best FSL claims this year. I claimed her before she won one of the FSL bonus races, the Diana Stakes, by a nose over In Italian. My other best FSL claim this year was White Abarrio. I claimed him, without having to shake for him, after he won the Whitney Stakes. White Abarrio subsequently won the BC Classic, a triple-bonus race in the FSL.

I have some fond FSL memories of Ruby Nell’s sire, Bolt d’Oro. Back in 2017, I claimed Bolt d’Oro after his maiden victory at Del Mar. He went on to win the Grade I Del Mar Futurity and Grade I FrontRunner Stakes.

Expectations have been high for Ruby Nell ever since she sold for $1.2 million at public auction. She was something of a disappointment when losing her first three starts. But after those three losses, she’s won four of her last five.

I believe Ruby Nell might be blossoming into the star filly she has been expected to be all along. In her most recent start, she opened a huge 10-length lead on the backstretch in Santa Anita’s Grade III Autumn Miss Stakes at one mile on turf Nov. 5. She was responsible for scorching fractions of :45.46 for the first half-mile, 1:08.67 for six furlongs and 1:20.60 for seven furlongs.

After setting such a fast pace, Ruby Nell had every right to weaken in the stretch and maybe even finish off the board. Her lead did decrease in the lane, but she had enough gas left in the tank to prevail by 3 1/4 lengths over a quality filly in Anisette, the No. 33 pick in Monday’s draft. Anisette won the Grade I Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles in August, a race in which Ruby Nell finished fourth when perhaps finding that to be a longer trip than she prefers.

In my opinion, for Ruby Nell to register an outstanding final time of 1:32.67 in the Autumn Days after those early fractions was quite impressive. To put that clocking into perspective, Master of the Seas won the BC Mile on that same grass course in 1:32.45.

Considering I was so irked to miss out on getting Whitebeam in the draft, I will be nothing less than ecstatic if it turns out that Ruby Nell wins the Matriarch and beats Whitebeam in the process.

61. Skinner

62. Speaking Scout

63. Coach Prime

64. Hall of Fame

CLARK STAKES SELECTIONS

The Grade II Clark Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and older, will be contested at Churchill Downs this Friday (Nov. 24).

Heading the field of 10 is First Mission, who has been installed as a 3-1 favorite on the morning line. Look for him to probably be a shorter price when he departs the starting gate.

Trained by Brad Cox, First Mission has reeled off three consecutive victories since finishing second in his career debut. In his most recent start, he overcame a troubled trip to win an allowance/optional claiming race at Keeneland on Oct. 14. He has a right to build on that effort in that it was his first race since April 15.

First Mission’s sire, Street Sense, won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by 10 lengths at Churchill Downs in 2006. Street Sense then captured the 2007 Kentucky Derby on that same Louisville oval.

Inasmuch as it appears that First Mission is not facing a particularly strong group in the Clark, he is my pick to win the race.

Below are my selections for the Clark Stakes:

1. First Mission
2. Stage Raider
3. Il Miracolo
4. Film Star

Stage Raider showed little and finished sixth in the BC Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 4, but he’s meeting much softer foes in this spot. The half-brother to Triple Crown winner Justify finished a respectable second to Zozos in the Grade III Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill on Sept. 30.

Il Miracolo comes off a fine try in Keeneland’s Fayette Stakes. He lost that Grade II race by a head to O’Connor.

Film Star has finished first or second in nine of 11 starts this year. He was the runner-up to Zandon in the Grade II Woodward Stakes at Aqueduct before finishing fourth in the Grade II Forty Niner Stakes there.

KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGERING

As I’ve said many times before, a future wager or wagers on the Kentucky Derby can be a lot of fun, especially if you bet on the winner at a nice price.

You will have the opportunity this week to bet on the 2024 Run for the Roses via Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW). In addition to win wagering, exacta betting is offered.

Pool 2 wagering will open on Thursday (Nov. 23) at noon and close on Sunday (Nov. 26) at 6 p.m. ET.

KDFW Pool 2 offers betting on 38 individual horses, plus an “all other 3-year-old colts and geldings from the 2021 foal crop” option and an “all fillies from the 2021 foal crop” option, for a total of 40 betting interests.

Horses trained by Bob Baffert are not among the individual horses in KDFW Pool 2. That’s because last July 3, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced it was “extending the suspension of Bob Baffert through calendar year 2024 based on continued concerns regarding the threat to the safety and integrity he poses to CDI-owned racetracks.” Baffert’s ban from racing horses at CDI-owned tracks stems from the 2021 Kentucky Derby in which the Baffert-trained Medina Spirit finished first but tested positive for the presence of betamethasone, a medication that is legal to use, but not on race day.

With Baffert trainees not included among the 38 individual horses in KDFW Pool 2, it does add a number of quality runners to the “all other 3-year-old colts and geldings” option, such as Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Muth and undefeated Bob Hope Stakes winner Nysos. As someone who made a substantial wager on the “all other 3-year-old colts and geldings” option in Pool 1, I’m certainly glad that it includes Muth and Nysos.

The “all other 3-year-old colts and geldings” option in KDFW Pool 2 is the morning-line favorite at 4-5. In Pool 1, which ran from Nov. 1-3, the “all other 3-year-old colts and geldings” option closed at 4-5 and very nearly was even money. A $2 wager on “all other colts and geldings” in Pool 1 pays $3.90.

Not surprisingly, impressive Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Fierceness is the 15-1 morning-line favorite among the individual horses in Pool 2. But before you think it’s a great idea to bet on Fierceness this week, you are reminded that only two Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winners, Street Sense and Nyquist, have ever gone on to win the Kentucky Derby.

Of course, it’s hard enough in November just to get a horse into the Kentucky Derby starting gate on May 5. Therefore, it’s generally not a good idea to be making a future wager on any individual horse at a relatively short price. Keep in mind that the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby, Mage, did not make his first career start until Jan. 28.

It’s important to remember that there are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager or Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager. Should Churchill Downs officials determine during the duration of this week’s four-day pool that one of the wagering interests has experienced an injury, illness or other circumstance that would prevent the horse from participating in the Kentucky Derby, betting on the individual horse will be suspended immediately.

You also might want to check out what happens in the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs this Saturday (Nov. 25) before making any bets in KDFW Pool 2.

Below are the morning-line odds for 2024 KDFW Pool 2:

No. Horse (Morning Line Odds)

1. Awesome Road (80-1)
2. Bentornato (30-1)
3. Bergen (80-1)
4. Billal (99-1)
5. Booth (50-1)
6. Carbone (80-1
7. Catching Freedom (50-1)
8. Copper Tax (50-1)
9. Dancing Groom (99-1)
10. Domestic Product (80-1)
11. Dornoch (30-1)
12. Drum Roll Please (80-1)
13. Fierceness (15-1)
14. Glengarry (80-1)
15. Informed Patriot (80-1)
16. Kittyhawk (99-1)
17. Knightsbridge (50-1)
18. Liberal Arts (30-1)
19. Lightline (99-1)
20. Locked (30-1)
21. Merit (99-1)
22. Moonlight (99-1)
23. Mystik Dan (80-1)
24. Nash (20-1)
25. Nutella Fella (50-1)
26. Otto the Conquerer (99-1)
27. Parchment Party (99-1)
28. Private Desire (99-1)
29. Real Men Violin (99-1)
30. Risk It (50-1)
31. Sierra Leone (80-1)
32. Stolen Magic (99-1)
33. Stretch Ride (80-1)
34. Stronghold (99-1)
35. The Wine Steward (60-1)
36. Timberlake (40-1)
37. West Saratoga (99-1)
38. Where’s Chris (80-1)
39. All Fillies from the 2021 Foal Crop (80-1)
40. All Other Colts and Geldings from the 2020 Foal Crop (4-5)

Churchill Downs inaugurated the Kentucky Derby Future Wager in 1999. The remaining KDFW dates for the 2024 renewal of the 1 1/4-mile classic are Jan. 19-21 (Pool 3), Feb. 16-18 (Pool 4), March 15-17 (Pool 5) and April 4-6 (Pool 6).

The only Sire Future Wager for the 2024 Kentucky Derby also is being offered this week. This wager, which debuted in 2005, asks bettors to identify the winning sire in the 2024 Kentucky Derby winner. The “all other sires” option is the 6-1 morning-line favorite. Into Mischief is the individual sire favorite at 8-1.

Good Magic sired 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage. The closing price on Good Magic in the Sire Future Wager was 25-1. Mage’s final odds were 15-1 on race day.

Below are the morning-line odds for the 2023 Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager:

No. Sire (Morning Line Odds)

1. American Pharoah (40-1)
2. Arrogate (25-1)
3. Audible (50-1)
4. Bernardini (80-1)
5. Bolt d’Oro (20-1)
6. Cairo Prince (50-1)
7. Candy Ride (30-1)
8. City of Light (30-1)
9. Classic Empire (99-1)
10. Constitution (50-1)
11. Curlin (15-1)
12. Flameaway (90-1)
13. Ghostzapper (20-1)
14. Good Magic (30-1)
15. Gun Runner (15-1)
16. Hard Spun (50-1)
17. Into Mischief (8-1)
18. Justify (15-1)
19. Liam’s Map (50-1)
20. Malibu Moon (99-1)
21. Maximus Mischief (99-1)
22. Medaglia d’Oro (80-1)
23. Mitole (80-1)
24. More Than Ready (99-1)
25. Munnings (80-1)
26. Not This Time (50-1)
27. Nyquist (80-1)
28. Omaha Beach (80-1)
29. Practical Joke (30-1)
30. Quality Road (50-1)
31. Runhappy (20-1)
32. Speightstown (80-1)
33. Street Sense (50-1)
34. Tapit (20-1)
35. Uncle Mo (25-1)
36. Union Rags (99-1)
37. Vino Rosso (80-1)
38. Violence (25-1)
39. War Front (99-1)
40. All Other Sires (6-1)