LEXINGTON, Ky. (June, 2017) – Summertime brings with it an acceleration in the number of on-track National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) qualifiers, which frequently offer large cash prize pools along with berths to the world’s richest and most prestigious handicapping tournament. Registration is now open for rich tournaments coming up in the next few weeks at Woodbine Racecourse, Santa Anita Park, Monmouth Park, Del Mar, and other top contest destinations around North America.
The first-half NHC Tour season will conclude on July 30. The top 5 finishers of the first-half NHC Tour Leaderboard will receive full 2017 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge berths.
Here are the basics on the “brick-and-mortar” NHC qualifiers scheduled through the end of July, in chronological order:
SATURDAY – Woodbine Sprint Meet Handicapping Tournament – Two berths to NHC 2018, estimated $20,000 prize pool, entry $150 ($50 bankroll + $100 to prize money).
JUNE 30-JULY 2 – Santa Anita Three-Peat Handicapping Contests – Three days of one-day contests on closing weekend at Santa Anita, with 100 percent of entry fees paid back as cash prizes. Day 1: two berths to NHC 2018, $30,000 estimated prize pool, $700 entry ($400 bankroll + $300 to prize money). Day 2: five berths to NHC 2018, $100,000 estimated prize pool, entry $3,000 ($2,000 bankroll + $1,000 to prize money). Day 3: five berths to NHC 2018, $100,000 estimated prize pool, entry $3,000 ($2,000 bankroll + $1,000 to prize money). Cash bonuses of $50,000 for winning two of the contests and $250,000 for winning all three.
JULY 2 – Monmouth Park $250 Handicapping Contest – Two berths to NHC 2018, estimated $20,000 prize pool, entry $250 ($150 bankroll + $100 to prize money).
JULY 8 – Arlington Handicapping Challenge – Three berths to NHC 2018 plus berths to other major handicapping contests, no entry fee, $2,000 live bankroll.
JULY 8 – Belmont Park Stars & Stripes Challenge – Two berths to NHC 2018, guaranteed $5,000 first-place prize, entry $500 ($300 bankroll + $200 to prize money).
JULY 8 – Los Alamitos – Three berths to NHC 2018, estimated $10,000 prize pool, entry $400 ($300 bankroll + $100 entry fee)
JULY 14-16 – Surfside Race Place at Del Mar One-Day Contests – Three one-day contests, two berths to NHC 2018 each day, guaranteed $16,500 prize pool each day. Day 1: advance entry $340 ($40 bankroll + $300 entry fee). Day 2: advance entry $500 ($200 bankroll + $300 entry fee). Day 3: advance entry $340 ($40 bankroll + $300 entry fee).
JULY 22 – Monmouth Park $250 Handicapping Contest – Two berths to NHC 2018, estimated $20,000 prize pool, entry $250 ($150 bankroll + $100 to prize money).
JULY 23 – Lone Star Park Handicapping Championship Series, Second Chance – Two berths to NHC 2018, estimated $7,500 prize pool, free to play.
JULY 29-30 – Del Mar Challenge – Eight berths to NHC 2018 plus berths to other major handicapping contests, estimated $300,000 prize pool, entry $7,000 ($5,000 bankroll + $2,000 to prize money).
JULY 29 – Woodbine Mid-Summer Handicapping Tournament – Two berths to NHC 2018, estimated $25,000 prize pool, entry $500 ($250 bankroll + $250 to prize money).
Prize pools are estimated and will be adjusted on a sliding scale in accordance with the final number of entries.
For the full calendar of upcoming NHC qualifiers, including links to details on how to enter, visithttps://www.ntra.com/nhc-events.
For additional information on the NHC and NHC Tour visit www.ntra.com/nhc.
About the National Horseplayers Championship
In its 19th year, the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (formerly known as the NTRA National Handicapping Championship) is presented by Racetrack Television Network, STATS Race Lens and Treasure Island Las Vegas. Equibase is the official data provider of the NHC and NHC Tour. The NHC is world’s richest and most prestigious handicapping tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. Each year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards. The most recent NHC offered record prize money and awards totaling more than $2.9 million. NHC 19 will be held February 9-11, 2018, at Treasure Island Las Vegas.
About the NTRA
The NTRA, based in Lexington, Ky., is a broad-based coalition of more than 100 horse racing interests and thousands of individual stakeholders consisting of horseplayers, racetrack operators, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity, welfare and integrity of Thoroughbred racing through consensus-based leadership, legislative advocacy, safety and integrity initiatives, fan engagement and corporate partner development. The NTRA owns and manages the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance; NTRA.com; the Eclipse Awards; the National Handicapping Championship; NTRA Advantage, a corporate partner sales and sponsorship program; and Horse PAC®, a federal political action committee. NTRA press releases appear on NTRA.com, Twitter (@ntra) and Facebook (facebook.com/1NTRA).
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