Who would harness racing's sharpest minds select in the 2019 Trot Magazine Fantasy Stable? Trot Insider will feature 'expert picks' in advance of the deadline for this year's contest, brought to you in partnership with the Breeders Crown.
Director of Racing for The Raceway at Western Fair District, Greg Blanchard has offered his picks for the 2019 Fantasy Stable. Blanchard stayed loyal to those like him that bleed Toronto Maple Leaf blue and gone with a fellow Leafs fan, trainer Blake MacIntosh in the Trainers B group, and backed up that choice with solid reasoning.
"Blake has built up one of the most impressive stables of stakes-caliber horses in the country in recent years. He has his big gun coming back in Courtly Choice and with a lot of other depth in his barn, on both sides of the border, I think he’s in for another big year."
MacIntosh put up career best numbers in 2018 with 78 wins and more than $2.1 million in purse earnings. His stable star Courtly Choice will look to add to those numbers this Sunday as he's been installed as the 8-5 morning line favourite in the second Confederation Cup elimination, considered by many to be harness racing's race of the year thus far in 2019.
Group A:
Shartin N
Group B:
Warrawee Ubeaut
Group C:
Youaremycandygirl
Group D:
The Ice Dutchess
Group E:
Donttellmeagain
Group F:
Caviart Ally
Group G:
Grand Teton
Group H:
When Dovescry
Group I: Two-Year-Old Colt Pacers:
Tall Dark Stranger
Force N Fury
Group J: Two-Year-Old Filly Pacers:
Merga Hanover
Sweet Smooch
Group K: Two-Year-Old Colt Trotters:
Ontopofthehill
Shadrack Hanover
Group L: Two-Year-Old Filly Trotters:
Fellowship Of Two
Bellareina Dolce
Group M: Trainers 1:
Tony Alagna
Group N: Trainers 2:
Blake MacIntosh
Group O: Drivers 1:
Tim Tetrick
Group P: Drivers 2:
Matt Kakaley
Group Q: Drivers 3:
Louis-Philippe Roy
Group R: Drivers 4:
James MacDonald
Entries for the 2019 Fantasy Stable Contest can be made up until 5:00 pm (EST) on Friday, May 17. Stables cannot be altered once submitted. Click here to enter!
The contest is based on total earnings of selected horses and five percent of the earnings of selected trainers and drivers between May 17 and December 31, 2019..
For the purposes of the fantasy bankroll, the winners (horses only) of the 2019 Breeders Crown Finals will each receive a $200,000 contest bankroll bonus. Also, in the two-year-old categories, contestants are once again asked to select TWO horses.
At the end of the year, the winner of the contest will receive entry into and travel to the 2020 World Harness Handicapping Championship, a prize valued at (approx) $1,300.
Previous Fantasy Stable Expert Picks: