Rules
Get ready, everyone! I would like to invite you all to join us in the ninth Unlocking Winners "Road to the Kentucky Derby" informal handicapping challenge!
Starting on Jan. 11 and continuing until Jan. 20 at 1:00 p.m. ET, players may choose a stable of six horses (plus one jockey and one trainer) that will earn points based on their performances in a series of official Kentucky Derby prep races (the list of races is available here; only races held from Jan. 20 onward will be counted in the contest.) Points will be awarded to the top five finishers in each race, in accordance with the number of points each horse officially earns on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, and European Road to the Kentucky Derby.
For example, if a player chooses Fierceness for their stable and he goes on to win the Florida Derby (G1), that player will earn 100 points, but if Fierceness were to instead win a race like the Fountain of Youth S. (G2), they would only earn 50 points. Trainer and jockey points will be awarded only if the trainer or jockey in question wins a race and not if they finish second, third, fourth, or fifth; 10 points will be awarded for each prep race that a trainer or jockey wins, regardless of the actual points available in the race, while 50 points will be awarded if your jockey or trainer wins the Kentucky Derby.
Also, each week, players will be able to designate one of their horses as a "prime" horse, allowing them to earn double points. For example, if a player were to designate Fierceness as their prime horse on the week of the Florida Derby and Fierceness won the race, that player would earn 200 points, double the standard 100 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 this page with the name of your prime horse and the race in which they are running.
Players will get a chance to add two additional horses to their stables from March 14 through March 22. The contest will culminate with the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 4, which will offer points on a 200-100-50-30-20 basis to the top five finishers. Whoever accumulates the most points by the end of the contest wins bragging rights as the Unlocking Winners Kentucky Derby Handicapper of the Year! :)
All contest entries, stable additions, and prime horses must be posted on this contest page; any contest entries, stable additions, and prime horses posted on other pages or blog posts will not be accepted. In addition, players will only be allowed to join the contest during the initial joining period from Jan. 11 through Jan. 20 at 1:00 p.m. ET; any entries submitted after this time will not be accepted. Finally, once your stable has been posted, no changes will be accepted regardless of whether you submit the change before the deadline for entries closes.
To simplify the scoring process, please do not post anything except contest entries, stable additions, and prime horses in the comments on this page.
Good luck to all!
Contest Entries
A Calypso
Conquest Warrior
Dornoch
El Capi
Fierceness
Honor Marie
Sierra Leone
Forever Young
Endlessly
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Flavian Prat
Akita Girl
Better Than Gold
Conquest Warrior
Fierceness
Honor Marie
Otto the Conqueror
Sierra Leone
Deterministic
Timberlake
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
AmyK
Amante Bianco
Dornoch
Fierceness
Otto the Conqueror
Sierra Leone
Track Phantom
Forever Young
Mystik Dan
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: John Velazquez
Aluminaut
Dornoch
Fierceness
Honor Marie
Muth
Nysos
Track Phantom
Endlessly
Forever Young
Trainer: Danny Gargan
Jockey: Luis Saez
Betty S
Fierceness
Locked
Muth
Nysos
Sierra Leone
Track Phantom
Timberlake
Forever Young
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Curlin08
Catching Freedom
Conquest Warrior
Fierceness
Locked
Muth
Track Phantom
Timberlake
Sierra Leone
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Discopartner
Dornoch
Fierceness
Locked
Muth
Parchment Party
Track Phantom
Deterministic
Mystik Dan
Trainer: Danny Gargan
Jockey: John Velazquez
dust commander5
Dornoch
Muth
Fierceness
Track Phantom
Ari's Magic
Lucky Jeremy
Endlessly
Forever Young
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Fortune Pending
Carbone
Catching Freedom
Drum Roll Please
Locked
Sierra Leone
Track Phantom
Dornoch
Timberlake
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Just Horsin' Around
Catching Freedom
Fierceness
Nash
Track Phantom
Imperial Gun
Sierra Leone
Dornoch
Timberlake
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Kathy Weightman
Fierceness
Sierra Leone
Locked
Carbone
Honor Marie
Track Phantom
Dornoch
Conquest Warrior
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Keelerman
Fierceness
Locked
Nash
Nysos
Sierra Leone
Track Phantom
Be You
Forever Young
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Kyri Freeman
Dornoch
Drum Roll Please
Fierceness
Leslie's Rose (I know she's a filly)
Locked
Sierra Leone
Timberlake
Tuscan Gold
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez
Lady Ann
Catching Freedom
Conquest Warrior
Locked
Real Men Violin
Sierra Leone
Track Phantom
Dornoch
Timberlake
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
latenite
Fierceness
Hall Of Fame
Knightsbridge
Locked
Sierra Leoene
Snead
Timberlake
Tuscan Gold
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Leigh
Copper Tax
Liberal Arts
Locked
Dornoch
Honor Marie
Resilience
Uncle Heavy
McVay
Trainer: Bill Mott
Jockey: John Velazquez
Lights Out
Catching Freedom
Fierceness
Honor Marie
Muth
Otto the Conqueror
Sierra Leone
Just a Touch
Timberlake
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Luis Saez
MaryY
Catching Freedom
Fierceness
Ignite the Light
Nysos
Snead
Stronghold
Common Defense
Encino
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Matthew W
Conquest Warrior
Fierceness
Honor Marie
Liberal Arts
Locked
Nysos
Sierra Leone
Mystik Dan
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Melanie Thompson
Dornoch
Drum Roll Please
Locked
Otello
Just Steel
Timberlake
Catching Freedom
Sierra Leone
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey Flavien Prat
M_L
Dornoch
Fierceness
General Partner
Muth
Nysos
Sierra Leone
Hall of Fame
Mystik Dan
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velasquez
mlaw21
Sierra Leone
Fierceness
Locked
Conquest Warrior
Track Phantom
Knightsbridge
Deterministic
Timberlake
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
mz64
Babbo
Carbone
Knightsbridge
Nysos
Otello
Wynstock
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez
Pointofview
Parchment Party
Sierra Leone
Snead
Liberal Arts
Can Group
Seminole Chief
Trainer: Bill Mott
predict
Fierceness
Dornoch
Sierra Leone
Imperial Gun
Stretch Ride
El Capi
Antiquarian
Pandagate
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Ranagulzion
Ari's Magic
Fierceness
Honor Marie
Legalize
Locked
Sierra Leone
Mystik Dan
Northern Flame
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez
Riskaverse
Conquest Warrior
Fierceness
Honor Marie
Knightsbridge
Nysos
Track Phantom
Timberlake
Sierra Leone
Trainer: Bill Mott
Jockey: John Velazquez
shelmarka
Fierceness
Sierra Leone
Otto the Conquerer
Drum Roll Please
Track Phantom
Dornoch
Timberlake
Domestic Product
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Tyler Gafflione
SR Vegas
Fierceness
Forever Young
Knightsbridge
Liberal Arts
Parchment Party
Sierra Leone
Conquest Warrior
Mystik Dan
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Standby Painter
Catching Freedom
Fierceness
Honor Marie
Locked
Otto the Conqueror
Track Phantom
Dornoch
Sierra Leone
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: John Velazquez
STM2
Parchment Party
Catching Freedom
Carbone
Born Noble
Otello
Fierceness
Dornoch
Sierra Leone
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Luis Saez
suzbiscuit
Catching Fire
Conquest Warrior
Honor Marie
Knightsbridge
Nash
Stronghold
Sierra Leone
Timberlake
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
thedragonlady59
Conquest Warrior
Fierceness
Honor Marie
Otto the Conqueror
Real Men Violin
Track Phantom
Timberlake
Sierra Leone
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Thomas McDonald
Fierceness
Knightsbridge
Liberal Arts
Nash
Parchment Party
Sierra Leone
Hall of Fame
Just a Touch
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Thunderbolt
Conquest Warrior
Dornoch
Drum Roll Please
Fierceness
Imperial Gun
Otto the Conqueror
Sierra Leone
Timberlake
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Tomskid
Drum Roll Please
Honor Marie
Otto the Conqueror
Seminole Chief
Track Phantom
Valentine Candy
Deterministic
Encino
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
trackjack
Carbone
Fierceness
Forever Young
Locked
Nysos
Track Phantom
Sierra Leone
Timberlake
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Van Berg
Dornoch
Fierceness
Locked
Nash
Parchment Party
Sierra Leone
Timberlake
Domestic Product
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
