Author Archives: McKay

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About McKay

President and Founder of HorseTourneys

Ron Rippey Takes Wynn Handicapping Challenge and $132k+; HorseTourneys Qualifiers sweep top four positions

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Ron Rippey, a past NHC Champ, took home the top prize and $132,765 total combined with day prizes in the Wynn $200,000 Guaranteed Handicapping Challenge, held August 1-2 at Wynn Las Vegas.

Rippey had a monster first day, amassing over $183 for a $60+ lead over second place going into day two.  However, he was only able to muster a little over $15 dollars on Saturday, as a parade of chalk came in at Saratoga and Del Mar, with Rippey playing higher prices as a defensive tactic.  Still, he hung on by less than $3.00 to get the win, sealing it with a place score in the final race at Del Mar.  Todd Stark (Mt. Sterling, KY) finished second, and collected $53,775 total.

It was a banner tournament for HorseTourneys qualifiers, with Robert Crowe ($27,555 total with day prizes) and Colin Sumner ($14,195 total) rounding out the top four.  Mark Streiff finished 6th ($12,525 total) and Dan Shugar finished 7th ($5,845 total) meaning HorseTourneys qualifiers occupied six of the top 10 final positions.  Mike Sylvester, another HorseTourneys qualifier, collected $8,350 in day money on Day 2.

For Complete Final Standings, Click Here

For Day 1 Final Standings, Click Here

For Day 2 Final Standings, Click Here

Ron Rippey and McKay at Wynn

 

NEW Contest Type – IN THE MONEY – One (1) Point per correct WPS (“in the money” selection)

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We’ve launched a new contest type at HorseTourneys – IN THE MONEY.

The format is as simple as it gets: pick one horse, and if that horse finishes in a paying Win/Place/Show position, you earn one (1) point.

Note that if the field size of any race is reduced to where only Win and Place or Win only are/is paid out through the pari-mutuel pools, only horses that receive those payouts will be considered “in the money” selections for the purposes of this contest and this contest format.

The player or players with the most number of correct selections will win or share the entire pool of contest credit, which will be equal to 90 percent of the total entry fees of the event.

EXAMPLE: There are 50 entries playing at $15 per entry. 90 percent of the total pool is $675. At the conclusion of the contest, three (3) players are tied for the most correct number of selections (points). Thus, the three players split the $675 pool equally, and receive $225 site credit each.

Sounds easy, right?  It isn’t!  We’ve analyzed past contests and the results are clear: this isn’t a favorite-picking bonanza.  In the vast majority of contest schedules, players will need a mix of varying price horses in order to be either the only winner or among a small group of winners that will split the prize pool.

This is an entertaining, stress-free way to play, with the potential to turn a small investment into a healthy bankroll-building score.

IN THE MONEY contests will be offered at $15/entry to begin with, with only one entry allowed per person.  Initial contests will be offered only in LIVE format (selections may be edited up until post time for each race), but PICK & PRAY versions may be offered soon, as well as contests with higher pricepoints.

Any feedback?  Send us your comments.

 

First Qualifier to the Orleans Fall Classic – July 26

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Beginning Saturday, July 26, qualifiers will be offered to the upcoming Orleans Fall Classic, to be held October 9-11 at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.  The Fall Classic is operated by Boyd Gaming, who also run the Horse Player World Series and Gold Coast Summer Classic.

Full package qualifiers will include the $500 entry fee to the event, four (4) nights in a PREMIUM hotel room and $500 in travel reimbursement.  Entry fees to main qualifiers will be $66 with one full package awarded per 25 entries participating.  Daily direct feeder events into main qualifiers will run $19 and award one $66 entry per 4 entries participating.

Entry-only qualifiers for the $500 entry fee only will also be offered.

2015 National Handicapping Championship Estimated Purse Raised 25 Percent To $2 Million

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PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK CITY (Thursday, June 19, 2014) – The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) today announced that the estimated purse for the 16th Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC), presented by Racetrack Television Network, Sovereign Stable and Treasure Island Las Vegas, has been increased 25 percent to a record $2 million. The 2014 NHC purse was $1,590,000.

An additional $200,000 in previously announced prize money will be distributed as part of the 2014 NHC Tour, bringing the estimated NHC and NHC Tour purses to $2.2 million.

The purse increases are fueled by robust participation in NHC qualifying contests by NHC Tour members (Tour membership is a requirement to be eligible to qualify for the NHC).

“Virtually all of our qualifying tournaments – onsite and online – continue to perform very well,” said Keith Chamblin, Senior Vice President of the NTRA. “We have more than 1,350 new Tour members thus far in 2014. The NHC will only grow as more people are introduced to tournament contests and experience the thrill of competing for a spot in Las Vegas and a chance at the winner’s share of $2 million in prize money. These are life-changing sums being offered to the top finishers.”

The 16th NHC will be held January 23-25, 2015 at Treasure Island Las Vegas. The 2014 NHC Tour schedule and the official rules for the 2015 NHC have been posted online at NHCTour.com. For the second year in a row, the Championship will feature a three-day format with a Final 50 and Final Table of 10.

Three tournaments scheduled for Saturday, June 21, offer NHC berths, including two online contests currently open for registration. DRF Bets (DRFBets.com) hosts the first of two Super Summer Challenge preliminary rounds leading to a July 5 final with four NHC spots up for grabs and HorseTourneys.com presents a “Live Format” NHC Qualifier with three guaranteed NHC entries available. The Belmont Park Handicapping Challenge at Belmont Park is sold out.

About the NHC

In its 16th year, the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship, Presented by Racetrack Television Network, Sovereign Stable and Treasure Island Las Vegas is the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers. There are no “buy-in” entries at the NHC. It is the culmination of a yearlong series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino racebooks, off-track betting facilities and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. Every year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards. The 15 NHC Champions since the event’s inception, in chronological order, are Steven Walker, Judy Wagner, Herman Miller, Steve Wolfson Jr., Kent Meyer, Jamie Michelson, Ron Rippey, Stanley Bavlish, Richard Goodall, John Conte, Brian Troop, John Doyle, Michael Beychok, Jim Benes and Jose Arias.

ENTRY ONLY Contests Added to Weekends for Gold Coast Summer Classic

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Note that ENTRY ONLY qualifiers to the upcoming Gold Coast Summer Classic will be run every weekend from now through the final qualifiers.  The ENTRY ONLY version will run on Sundays, while the FULL PACKAGE qualifiers will run on Saturdays.

Entry fees are $40 for the ENTRY ONLY qualifiers, with one $500 entry awarded per 15 entries that participate.  Note that feeders will only continue to be offered for the FULL PACKAGE version of the qualifiers.

LAST CHANCE to Qualify to Sam’s Town – Saturday, May 31

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Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall in Las Vegas will be hosting a handicapping contest on Friday and Saturday, June 6-7. The contest is expected to attract 300 entries and will award cash, HPWS seats and other prizes. It is a $500 buy-in, mythical event. It is run by Carol Boyd who many of you know from the Horse Player World Series and other Boyd Gaming events.

Most qualifiers offered at HorseTourneys will award the entry fee to the event, a 3-night hotel stay in a Premium Room at Sam’s Town and $500 in travel reimbursement. The first qualifier will be held Sunday, April 13, and will carry entry fees of $60, with one full package awarded per 25 entries. Daily Feeders into the main qualifiers will be offered for $17, one $60 entry per 4 entries.

For the Contest Informational Brochure, click here.
For the Official Rules, click here.

NEW! Qualify to the Arlington/Trackside Handicapping Championship, held July 13

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Arlington International Racecourse and Trackside Off-Track Betting are pleased to announce their biggest tournament ever – the 2014 Arlington Handicapping Challenge set for Sunday, July 13.

The Arlington Handicapping Challenge is a live-money tournament with NO additional entry fee over and above the $2,000 betting bankroll.  The top five finishers in the tournament will earn their way to major national tournaments including the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Challenge (NHC) and the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) with four NHC berths and one BCBC berth available.

The first qualifier at HorseTourneys is scheduled for Sunday, June 1.  Players can win the $2,000 entry to the event plus $500 in travel reimbursement.  Entries are $98/each with a package awarded per every 30 entries participating in qualifiers.

Daily direct feeders into the main qualifiers will be available for $27.

For complete info on the Arlington/Trackside Handicapping Challenge, click here.