There’s one tourney this weekend that almost all of you should enter, and that’s Sunday’s free NHC qualifier, which is open to all 2023 NHC Tour members. (If you’re not a member, you can still become one quickly and easily at NTRA.com).

This week, I was very careful to double-check that all of Kirk Tesar’s apparent victories were played through to the end of each tourney. It’s now official. After winning a seat to The BIG One (and just a seat to The BIG One) last week, the Hoosier came back strong with two featured-tourney wins this past week.

Santa Anita opens on Friday—which means the Santa Anita Opening Weekend Challenge (playable on-track or at Xpressbet) will take place on Saturday and Sunday. If you’re hoping to play in it, but don’t wish to pony up the $4,000 buy-in, then Friday is your final opportunity to win one of those $4,000 spots for $314.

Bombs were in short supply, so (despite the vast majority of features being Pick & Prays) there weren’t many multiple winners last week. There WERE a couple of them, however.

There will be lots of “Set-it-and-forget-it” action this weekend with 19 of our 20 featured events (all but the Sunday Big Bucks game) going as Pick & Prays. 

They say money goes to money. At least that was the case around here last week.

If you’ve already qualified the October 21-22 The BIG One at Laurel Park, congratulations—in more ways than one.

Not many big tournaments take place on a Wednesday, but the Canterbury NHC/BCBC Handicapping Contest does—this Wednesday, September 13. Your final two chances to win a $2,000 entry to it—playable at Xpressbet—come your way this Saturday and Sunday.

We think all featured-tourney wins are praiseworthy, but achieving such triumphs on consecutive days is extra impressive—which takes us to James Henry on Thursday.

It’s not a Triple Crown or Breeders’ Cup weekend…but Labor Day has seemingly evolved into an underrated, high-intensity weekend for horseplayers what with Saratoga, Del Mar and Kentucky Downs all operating at the same time.