A huge weekend for contest players at Keeneland and on various ADW’s kicked off Friday, April 12 with 200 entries in the on-track only Spring Challenge.  Matt Gumm of Glasgow, KY finished first with a bankroll of $4823 from an initial $250, taking home a Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge berth and first place prize of $3200. Howard Kravets of Vernon Hills, IL finished 2^nd with $4269, beginning a memorable weekend for the renowned podcast host.  Gregory Lewis of Columbus, OH finished 3^rd, kicking off a great weekend of his own, and Peter Rogers of Summit, NJ finished 4^th and 5^th.  Kravets, Lewis and Rogers secured National Horseplayers Championships berths and prize money.

On Saturday, a field of 282 players contested the Grade One Gamble, a $3500 contest widely considered as one of the most prestigious events in the country.  Darren Schweiger of New York, NY crushed a $4000 exacta in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes on his way to a final bankroll of $42,360.  Darren takes home $68,000 in prize money, a BCBC berth and an NHC berth.  2^nd place finisher Clay Sanders of Memphis, TN cashed a $6500 win bet on winner Royal Majesty in the finale to attain a bankroll of $27,365.  That total was good for $34,000 in prize money, a BCBC berth and an NHC berth.

In all, 6 players punched their tickets to the NHC and BCBC; and another 4 players earned an NHC berth.  Those players include the aforementioned Gregory Lewis, who finished 3^rd with a total bankroll of $23,494 and won a BCBC and 2 NHC’s this weekend; and Howard Kravets, who finished 7^th with a total of $20,796, and double-qualified for the NHC this weekend.

The final standings for the Keeneland 2024 spring contest are available.

Following are the top ten finishers with prize money; top six received BCBC and NHC; 7^th through 10^th received NHC berths.

1. Darren Schweiger $68,000
2. Clay Sanders $34,000
3. Gregory Lewis $18,000
4. Cory Shorr $  9,000
5. Rich Pawlowski $  6,800
6. Dan Hartmann $  3,600
7. Howard Kravets $  3,600
8. Drew Keaton $  3,600
9. Chuck Grubbs $  3,600
10. John Fisher $  3,600