2016 Road to the Breeders' Cup Classic Handicapping Challenge

Current Standings

1 Keelerman - 922
2 Lola (defending champion) - 877
3 Porter - 876
4 latenite - 871
4 trackjack - 871
6 Secretariat - 870
7 Aluminaut - 853
8 JJ the TV wathcer - 842
9 fitzpony - 826
10 MDG - 815
11 Eric Rickard - 810
12 Betty S - 807
13 Magnoliagirl - 794
14 Van Horn - 789
15 Riskaverse - 786

16 Quinnbt - 774
17 Akita Girl - 735
17 MaryZinke - 735
19 Thomas McDonald - 724
20 Tomskid - 721
21 War Eagle - 698
22 Curlin08 - 691
23 mz - 690

24 The Don - 684
25 Standby Painter - 680
26 Kathy Weightman - 657
27 tiznowliam - 648
28 Chumsmo - 637
29 fashion slipper - 623
30 Pedigree Ann - 609
31 Charlotte - 585
32 arliss - 581
33 Barry Craig - 565
34 By the Numbers - 548

35 gary26 - 444
36 TnT - 437
37 Leigh - 434
38 Rik Est - 430
39 MaiyaDay - 301

Special thanks to Betty S and Aluminaut for their help in keeping track of the scores!

Rules

Starting on June 18th and continuing until June 25th, players may choose a stable of twelve horses that will earn points based on their performances in a series of designated Breeders' Cup Classic prep races (the list of races is included below.) Points will be awarded to the top four finishers in each, although the number of points awarded will vary from race to race, as is outlined below. For example, if I choose California Chrome for my stable and he goes on to win the Pacific Classic (gr. I), I will earn 50 points, but if he were to instead win a race like the San Diego Handicap (gr. II), I would only earn 30 points.

Also, each week, players will be able to designate one of their horses as a "prime" horse, and will earn double the number of points for that horse's performance that week. For example, if a player were to designate California Chrome as their prime horse on the week of the Pacific Classic, and California Chrome won the race, that player would earn 100 points, double the standard 50 points. Designating a prime horse each week will not be a requirement, but it will add a bit of additional intrigue to the contest, and give players a chance to gain extra points if they think one of their horses is ready to run a big race. To designate your prime horse each week, simply leave a comment on the most recent Unlocking Winners blog post naming your chosen horse.

Players will get a chance to add three additional horses to their stables starting September 11th and ending September 23rd. With the dates of some races not yet official, the exact dates of the add-on period may be modified if necessary. The contest will culminate with the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Santa Anita on November 5th. Whoever accumulates the most points by the end of the contest wins bragging rights as the Unlocking Winners Breeders' Cup Handicapper of the Year! :)

The complete list of contest races is as follows:

Ohio Derby on June 25th
Iowa Derby (gr. III) on July 1st
Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (gr. III) on July 2nd
Dwyer Stakes (gr. III) on July 9th
Indiana Derby (gr. II) on July 16th
West Virginia Derby (gr. II) on August 6th
Philip H. Iselin Stakes (gr. III) on August 27th
Super Derby (gr. II) on September 10th
Lukas Classic Stakes on October 1st
(this group of races will award points on a 10-4-2-1 basis to the top four finishers)

The Gold Cup at Santa Anita (gr. I) on June 25th
Suburban Handicap (gr. II) on July 9th
San Diego Handicap (gr. II) on July 23rd
Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) on July 30th
Haskell Invitational (gr. I) on July 31st
The Woodward Stakes (gr. I) on September 3rd
Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) on September 24th
(this group of races will award points on a 30-12-6-3 basis to the top four finishers)

Whitney Handicap (gr. I) on August 6th
Pacific Classic (gr. I) on August 20th
Travers Stakes (gr. I) on August 27th
Awesome Again Stakes (gr. I) on October 1st
Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) on October 8th
(this group of races will award points on a 50-20-10-5 basis to the top four finishers)

Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) on November 5th
(the Breeders' Cup Classic will award points on a 100-40-20-10 basis to the top four finishers)

The exact list of contest races is subject to slight change, as the stakes schedules for many of the fall meets have not yet been released.

Good luck to all!

Contest Entries

Akita Girl
Beholder
California Chrome
Creator
Destin
Eagle
Exaggerator
Far From Over
Frosted
Hoppertunity
Nyquist
Mohaymen
Swipe
Arrogate
Comfort
Gun Runner

Aluminaut
California Chrome
Beholder
Creator
Destin
Dortmund
Effinex
Frosted
Governor Malibu
Gun Runner
Hoppertunity
Melatonin
Nyquist
Arrogate
Exaggerator
Mubtaahij

arliss
Beholder
California Chrome
Creator
Destin
Frosted
Governor Malibu
Gun Runner
Mohaymen
My Man Sam
Second Summer
Stradivari
Swipe
Arrogate
Melatonin
Comfort

Barry Craig
Beholder
California Chrome
Dortmund
Creator
Songbird
Frosted
Destin
Red Vine
Shaman Ghost
Exaggerator
Eagle
Gun Runner

Betty S
California Chrome
Frosted
Beholder
Dortmund
Melatonin
Eagle
Mubtaahij
Nyquist
Creator
Mohaymen
Hoppertunity
Gun Runner
Arrogate
Cupid
Comfort

By the Numbers
Hard Aces
Gun Runner
Frosted
Beholder
California Chrome
Dortmund
Firing Line
Nyquist
Effinex
Mubtaahij
Destin
Hoppertunity

Charlotte
Mubtaahij
California Chrome
Frosted
Nyquist
Dortmund
Hoppertunity
Outwork
Destin
Beholder
Stradivari
Creator
Gun Runner
Arrogate
Melatonin
Cupid

Chumsmo
Melatonin
Hoppertunity
Firing Line
Cal Chrome
Beholder
Frosted
Nyquist
Gun Runner
Exaggerator
Creator
Swipe
Brody's Cause
Effinex
Shaman Ghost
Mubtaahij

Curlin08
Beholder
California Chrome
Frosted
Nyquist
Exaggerator
Creator
Mo Tom
Mohaymen
Destin
Economic Model
Melatonin
Shaman Ghost
Arrogate
Mubtaahij
American Freedom

Eric Rickard
California Chrome
Dortmund
Hoppertunity
Frosted
Effinex
Firing Line
Melatonin
Beholder
Wild About Deb
Gun Runner
Page Mckenney
Awesome Slew
Nyquist
Arrogate
Shaman Ghost

fashion slipper
California Chrome
Exaggerator
Effinex
Hoppertunity
Swipe
Gun Runner
Economic Model
Mubtaahij
Melatonin
Creator
Suddenbreakingnews
Noble Bird
Nyquist
Shaman Ghost
Dortmund

fitzpony
California Chrome
Beholder
Mubtaahij
Frosted
Nyquist
Exaggerator
Mo Tom
Gun Runner
Hoppertunity
Destin
Effinex
Mohayman
Arrogate
Dortmund
Shaman Ghost

gary26
Beholder
California Chrome
Nyquist
Frosted
Destin
Creator
Bradester
Firing Line
Donegal Moon
Mubtaahij
Second Summer
Swipe
Breaking Lucky
Comfort
Melatonin

JJ the TV watcher
California Chrome
Beholder
Frosted
Effinex
Melatonin
Bradester
Shaman Ghost
Hoppertunity
Nyquist
Creator
Gun Runner
Exaggerator
Arrogate
Mubtaahij
Dortmund

Kathy Weightman
California Chrome
Frosted
Beholder
Melatonin
Destin
Nyquist
Exaggerator
Creator
Shaman Ghost
Gun Runner
Governor Malibu
Bradester
Arrogate
Comfort
Gun Runner

Keelerman
Arrogate
Beholder
California Chrome
Creator
Effinex
Exaggerator
Frosted
Gift Box
Gun Runner
Nyquist
Second Summer
Shaman Ghost
Comfort
Dortmund
Mubtaahij

latenite
Cali Chrome
Mohaymen
S'Marvolous
Frosted
Beholder
Effinex
Melatonin
Hoppertunity
Mo Tom
Destin
Dortmound
Eagle
Arrogate
Shaman Ghost
Gun Runner

Leigh
Majestic Harbor
California Chrome
Gun Runner
Bal A Bali
Economic Model
Eagle
Sunny Ridge
Beholder
Mohaymen
Upstart
Firing Line
Mo Tom
Effinex
Samraat
Frosted

Lola
Effinex
Mubtaahij
California Chrome
Beholder
Frosted
Destin
Hoppertunity
Gun Runner
Nyquist
Exaggerator
Creator
Dortmund
Arrogate
Comfort
Shaman Ghost

Magnoliagirl
Beholder
California Chrome
Creator
Destin
Exxagerator
Frosted
Governor Malibu
Gunrunner
Hoppertunity
Melatonin
Mohaymen
Nyquist
Arrogate
Comfort
Effinex

MDG
Beholder
California Chrome
Creator
Destin
Dortmund
Frosted
Governor Malibu
Gun Runner
Hoppertunity
Melatonin
Nyquist
Shaman Ghost
Arrogate
Breaking Lucky
Effinex

MaiyaDay
Beholder
Brody's Cause
California Chrome
Destin
Exaggerator
Far From Over
Firing Line
Governor Malibu
Melatonin
Nyquist
Suddenbreakingnews
Swipe

MaryZinke
Beholder
California Chrome
Danzing Candy
Nyquist
Exaggerator
Gun Runner
Destin
Outwork
Mohaymen
Cyrus Alexander
Lieutenant Colonel
Frosted
Hoppertunity
Shaman Ghost
Arrogate

mz
Beholder
California Chrome
Creator
Economic Model
Exaggerator
Frosted
Governor Malibu
Gun Runner
Hopportunity
Mubtaahi
Second Summer
Shaman Ghost
Songbird
Hit It a Bomb
Destin

Pedigree Ann
California Chrome
Frosted
Shaman Ghost
Nyquist
Destin
Gun Runner
Second Summer
Decorated Soldier
Beholder
Creator
Far From Over
Economic Model
Melatonin
Effinex
Hoppertunity

Porter
Arrogate
California Chrome
Creator
Destin
Dortmund
Frosted
Gun Runner
Hoppertunity
Melatonin
Mohaymen
Nyquist
Shaman Ghost
Cupid
Effinex
Mubtaahij

Quinnbt
California Chrome
Frosted
Beholder
Exaggerator
Nyquist
Effinex
Destin
Stradivari
Noble Bird
Creator
Hoppertunity
Governor Malibu
Melatonin
Shaman Ghost
Arrogate

Rik Est
Mubtaahij
California chrome
Frosted
Dortmund
Destin
Beholder
Creator
Gun Runner
SongBird
Hard Aces
Firing LIne
Hit it a Bomb

Riskaverse
California Chrome
Beholder
Creator
Destin
Gun Runner
Exaggerator
Frosted
Nyquist
Shaman Ghost
Melatonin
Mubtaahij
Mohaymen
Arrogate
Comfort
Effinex

Secretariat
California Chrome
Beholder
Frosted
Melatonin
Hopportunity
Effinex
Creator
Nyquist
Gun runner
Destin
Exagerator
Bradester
Arrogate
Mubtaahij
Shaman Ghost

Standby Painter
Adventist
Beholder
California Chrome
Cherry Wine
Creator
Economic Model
Exaggerator
Frosted
Gun Runner
Nyquist
Second Summer
Shaman Ghost
Melatonin
Comfort
Arrogate

The Don
Beholder
California Chrome
Frosted
Hoppertunity
Shaman Ghost
American Freedom
Destin
Gov Malibu
Gun Runner
Mo Tom
Mohaymen
Nyquist
Arrogate
Melatonin
Mubtaahij

Thomas McDonald
Beholder
California Chrome
Creator
Destin
Dortmund
Firing Line
Frosted
Melatonin
Mohaymen
Nyquist
Outwork
Stradivari
Arrogate
Exaggerator
Hoppertunity

tiznowliam
Shaman Ghost
California Chrome
Frosted
Mohaymen
Destin
Far From Over
Outwork
American Freedom
Eagle
Hard Aces
Noble Bird
Hoppertunity
Gun Runner
Mubtaahij
Comfort

TnT
Arrogate
Beholder
California Chrome
Destin
Far From Over
Frosted
Gun Runner
Noble Bird
Nyquist
Second Summer
Stanford
Stradavari

Tomskid
Cal Chrome
Bal a Bali
Effinex
Creator
Mubtaajij
Arrogate
Frosted
Beholder
Exaggerator
Donegal Moon
Suddenbreakingnews
Nyquist
Shaman Ghost
Cupid
Gun Runner

trackjack
California Chrome
Frosted
Eagle
Melatonin
Beholder
Creator
Gun Runner
Destin
Nyquist
Exaggerator
Shaman Ghost
Mohaymen
Arrogate
Comfort
Effinex

Van Horn
California Chrome
Beholder
Frosted
Effinex
Hoppertunity
Second Summer
Melatonin
Creator
Exaggerator
Nyquist
Governor Malibu
Destin
Mubtaahij
Arrogate
Shaman Ghost

War Eagle
California Chrome
Frosted
Noble Bird
Beholder
Hoppertunity
Hard Aces
Mubtaahij
Songbird
Gun Runner
Nyquist
Grey Sky
Secret Passage
Arrogate
Melatonin
Sammy Mandeville

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