HorseTourneys is pleased to confirm that we will once again offer tournaments on Breeders’ Cup weekend in 2026.

Following extensive discussions with Breeders’ Cup, we were able to reach an agreement that allows HorseTourneys to continue offering contests involving Breeders’ Cup races. As part of that agreement, however, this year’s events will operate under several parameters requested by Breeders’ Cup.

First, all tournaments involving Breeders’ Cup races will be conducted in Pick & Pray format. Players will therefore be required to submit selections for all tournament races prior to the first scheduled race.

Second, Breeders’ Cup has requested that HorseTourneys not offer guaranteed prize pools in conjunction with these events.

Finally, entry fees for Breeders’ Cup tournaments will generally be limited to a maximum of $600, with an exception for head-to-head contests.

These changes mean that our Breeders’ Cup schedule will be somewhat more focused than in previous years. Our three primary events will be:

• $600 Two-Day Breeders’ Cup Pick & Pray — Championship races on Friday and Saturday
• $395 Breeders’ Cup Friday Pick & Pray — all Breeders’ Cup Friday races
• $600 Breeders’ Cup Saturday Pick & Pray — all Breeders’ Cup Saturday races

Additional events, including winner-take-all and other tournament formats, will also be offered throughout the weekend.

We recognize that many HorseTourneys customers have made our Breeders’ Cup tournaments an annual tradition, and preserving the ability to offer meaningful tournament play on Breeders’ Cup weekend was important to us.

Although the format will look somewhat different in 2026, we’re pleased to continue giving HorseTourneys players an opportunity to compete on the sport’s championship weekend.

Additional tournament details and the complete Breeders’ Cup schedule will be announced closer to the event.

We all remember where we were when we made the biggest score of our horseplaying career. In Mike Yurczyk’s case, he was working the cash register at the Bo Diddley’s sandwich stand at Canterbury Park. That’s where he spent most of last Sunday anyway.

The final margin of victory wasn’t much—just 24 cents—but that scant difference delivered a monstrous payday of $196,057 to Mike Yurczyk in the 8th annual Spa & Surf Showdown here at HorseTourneys.

HorseTourneys has intentionally chosen a payout philosophy that emphasizes meaningful top prizes in our major tournaments.

We recognize that reasonable people can disagree on payout structures, and that some players prefer flatter distributions that award a larger percentage of the field. We respect that viewpoint. However, our experience over many years has been that players are attracted to tournaments that offer truly significant winning opportunities and headline-level payouts.

Our goal is not simply to distribute prize money as broadly as possible. Rather, it is to create tournaments that generate excitement, attract participation, and provide the opportunity for transformative scores. Maintaining major prizes of $100,000 or more helps differentiate our tournaments, drives interest in the platform, and ultimately supports larger prize pools for all participants.

It is also worth noting that while payout structures are often debated, HorseTourneys’ major event payouts are not unusually top-heavy when compared to many successful tournament formats in poker, daily fantasy sports, and other competitive gaming contests. In larger fields, multiple finishing positions are paid, and first-place awards generally fall within the range commonly seen in other tournament-based industries. Our approach reflects a balance between rewarding top performance and preserving the type of headline prizes that attract participation and help grow overall prize pools.

While payout philosophies will always vary, the current structure is intentional and reflects our long-term view of what best serves the overall health and growth of the tournament ecosystem. 

We appreciate the feedback we receive from players and understand that not every payout philosophy will appeal equally to every participant. Our objective is to strike a balance that supports both competitive tournament play and the continued growth of the platform.

McKay Smith
President
HorseTourneys.com

On Friday and Saturday, David Nelson turned a couple of strong handicapping days into a couple of exciting contest months to come.

Official statement from McKay Smith, President, HorseTourneys.com:

“News accounts today reported that the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has made charges against Marshall Gramm, contending that he obtained non-public horse-health information from the HISA portal from early May to mid-June of this year and that he engaged in a variety of thoroughbred industry activities during that same period, including participating in handicapping contests.”

“For the record, Mr. Gramm has not engaged in any paid activity at HorseTourneys/HorsePlayers since March 30, 2025. In 2026, he did participate in two free NHC qualifying tournaments, which were available to all members of the 2026 NHC Tour. The two such contests took place on May 7 and July 26. He finished unplaced in both of those events.”

The handicapping marksmanship of “Pistol” Pete Acocella was on full display last weekend. He hit the target two times on Saturday and twice more on Sunday.

William “23” Sadoo hit 47-1 shot Take a Stance ($96.20, $36.22) in Sunday’s first contest race, the 6th at Saratoga, and that led to a lot of winning for the Pennsylvanian-turned-Californian.

Handicapping is difficult enough that any good day is worth celebrating. William McMillan didn’t have just one day to feel happy about, though. He was on a near-weeklong heater.

It began on Thursday.

Almost all of the Saturday and Sunday Featured Tourneys last weekend were conducted in Live format. However, when Temecula, Calif., car dealer Michael Caposio plays Live games here, he typically treats them like Pick & Prays. On Sunday, that method worked extremely well for him.