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About McKay

President and Founder of HorseTourneys

NEW! Qualify to the $100,000 Santa Anita Autumn Challenge October 4-5

Santa Anita Park will be hosting the Autumn Handicapping Challenge on October 4-5.  The contest is a mega live-bankroll event with entry fees of $4,000, $3,000 of which comprises the player’s bankroll.

Prizes and conditions for the Santa Anita Handicapping Challenge are as follows:
-$4,000 total buy-in: $3,000 bankroll, with $1,000 to the prize pool.
-100 percent of entry fees paid out as prizes.
-Players keep their entire live-money bankroll.
-Format: Win, Place, Show Exacta & Trifecta on Santa Anita Races.
-Day one prize: VIP trip to Las Vegas.
-Top five finishers qualify for the 2015 NHC in Las Vegas.
-Top four finishers win full entry to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge.
-Fifth through eighth place finishers win $2,500 entry to Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge.
-Hosted lunch and drinks in Santa Anita’s premium areas.

-Premier weekend of racing with six stakes races.

-Maximum two entries per person.

 Qualifying players earn NHC Tour Points.

 **All monies predicated on 100 entries.

MAJOR Announcement: Players may now withdraw from account balances – Real Money events begin immediately

Please read carefully the following:

1. Players may now withdraw from their account balances at HorseTourneys. Please make sure to review the policies/guidelines as listed on the Withdrawal page.

2. Real money/bankroll building events have been added to the contest lineup. ALL real money/bankroll building contests will currently carry MAXIMUM gross takeout of 10 percent. This is the lowest takeout available from any horse racing tournament website.

3. Players from the states of Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana and Washington are prohibited from withdrawing funds from accounts due to state regulations; however, players from these states may continue to participate in all contests for the purposes of pursuing entries to on-site events through qualifiers at HorseTourneys (such as the NHC and HPWS).

4. ALL real money and bankroll building events will now have pre-determined prizes. Entries will NOT expand as they do for direct Feeder and Qualifier events depending on participation. Contests will run subject to the MINIMUM ENTRIES needed to run the event, which are listed to the right of the entries display and within individual contest descriptions.

5. In real money and bankroll building event, the MINIMUM ENTRIES required is equivalent to the prizes designated minus 10 percent (therefore, if a contest fills only to the minimum, HorseTourneys incurs a 10 percent loss on the event in addition to additional percentage points for fees associated with deposits). Because the minimums required to run a contest already represent a meaningful loss, the entry minimums MUST be adhered to for all events. It may take some time to determine the appropriate ranges of contests that activity on HorseTourneys will support. Therefore, we ask for your patience, as contests that don’t fill to minimums may be a common occurrence as we endeavor to determine appropriate levels and reduce cancellations as much as possible.

6. Entries for DIRECT Feeder and Qualifier events (such as the NHC and HPWS) will continue to be able to be expanded, with prize parameters determined by the number of entries participating in the contests.

7. Taxpayer information MUST be provided before withdrawals will be permitted for an account. See the Withdrawal page for details on how to provide taxpayer information. You do not need to wait to request a withdrawal to provide us your taxpayer information. A single 1099-MISC form will be filed with the IRS for any players with net withdrawals versus entry fees of more than $600 per year.

 

 

Ron Rippey, 2006 NHC Champion

The handicapping contest community is saddened to learn of the passing of past NHC Champion Ron Rippey. Rippey, who just earlier in August won over $132k at the Wynn Handicapping Challenge, was an ardent promoter of both Thoroughbred and Harness racing throughout his over 30 years of work with the New Jersey Star-Ledger and was a top-flight handicapper and regular performer on the contest circuit. Above all, he was the consummate gentleman who was always in cheerful spirits.

My personal experience with Ron dates back to 2006, as I was administering the NHC that year, the same year he won the prestigious Championship.  I was the first person to congratulate him just moments after his longshot crossed the finish line first in the last contest race to seal the victory.  I recall how calm and gracious he was at that time.  Since then, Ron and I stayed in regular contact, either by communicating via e-mail, or by sharing lengthy phone calls at least several times a year, mostly with Ron recounting his recent experiences and his always-good suggestions on how to improve things in whatever I was involved in at the time.  Despite struggling with many trying health issues over recent years, Ron was always upbeat and always focused on the positive.  He held great pride in his long-term tenure at the Star-Ledger and took his position as a public handicapper very seriously.  He truly loved the game and was a respected comrade on the contest trail.  Those of us that had the privilege to know him will surely miss having him around.  Our sincerest condolences to his wife Arlene and the rest of the Rippey family.

Read the Story at the New Jersey Star-Ledger

Important Notice Regarding Remaining NHC Qualifiers at HorseTourneys – Packages Capped

Player response to this year’s NHC Qualifiers at HorseTourneys has been so good, we’re running out of NHC spots! Contractually, HorseTourneys is only permitted to award a pre-determined number of seats to the NHC per year.

Therefore, for the remaining eight (8) NHC Qualifiers at HorseTourneys through November of this year, packages awarded will be capped per event. Most qualifiers will be capped at a maximum of three (3) NHC packages per event, or 195 maximum entries under the current $155/entry, 1 per 65 entries package parameters. But be sure to check the contest descriptions for the maximum packages awarded. Maximum entries allowed per person will also be decreased to a maximum of two (2) entries per event unless otherwise specified.

Due to this cap, and based on this year’s activity to date, entries will likely fill up fast in pre-qualifying feeder events held daily for $17 (1 $155 entry awarded per 10) and $43 (1 $155 entry per 4), so be sure to secure your entries in advance for these remaining NHC qualifiers.

Thank you for your continued participation at HorseTourneys.

Have You Tried an IN THE MONEY Contest Yet? Check Out These Results!

Have You Tried an “In The Money” Contest Yet?

Check Out These Results!

The format is doing exactly as projected–producing one or a small number of winners, meaning great ROI for winners – and it’s fun!

Recent Results (based on $15 entry fees):
July 29: 3 winners won $130 ea. (ROI: 7.6)
July 30: 3 winners won $198 ea. (ROI: 12.2)
July 31: 2 winners won $297 ea. (ROI: 18.8)
Aug 1: 1 winner won $229 (ROI: 14.2)
Aug 2: 1 winner won $148 (ROI: 8.8)
Aug 3: 7 winners won $90 (ROI: 5.0)
Aug 4: 4 winners won $142 (ROI: 8.4)
Aug 5: 1 winner won $162 (ROI: 9.8)
Aug 6: 1 winner won $297 (ROI: 18.8)
Aug 7: 1 winner won $229 (ROI: 14.2)
Aug 8: 1 winner won $243 (ROI: 15.2)

Both Pick & Pray and Live format In the Money games offered daily. Look for higher stakes entry fees soon.

Major Site Enhancement – Speed Picks – Make Picks for All Races on One Screen

If you haven’t yet, make sure to check out the new SPEED PICKS option, which is available for any entry (with the exception of the All-Optional Format).  The Speed Picks Option allows players to make selections for all races in an entry on one screen in parlay-card style format.  It’s a great option for more experienced users and especially those that play multiple entries.

A tutorial is available that explains how to use the new feature.  To view it, click here.

Display Change – Total Entries Now Count UP on Home Page and Buy Entries section

The totals entries display on the home page and Buy Entries section have been changed to counting UP on the total entries rather than counting down, as was done previously.  This change has been made to allow players to be able to more easily reference the total number of entries for any contest with the minimum amount of entries that are required to run the contest, which are displayed to the right of the total entries.