It’s time—finally—for the 4th annual Flo-Cal Faceoff.

After a one-week delay precipitated by the California precipitation, hundreds of North America’s best handicappers will look to follow in the footsteps of David Snyder this Saturday and Sunday. A year ago, the Mission Viejo, Calif., resident won $183,750 for capturing the 3rd-annual Faceoff, which had a total purse of $501,500.

Rainy weather in Southern California really put the “off” into the Flo-Cal Faceoff last weekend. So we still have that event ahead of us this coming weekend. The purse is up to $284,000 for this first leg of the 2023 Tourney Triple, and qualifying continues through Friday.

This “Weekly Preview” blog usually comes out on Thursdays, but it’s a day late this week. That was no accident.

If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of 2022 HorseTourneys Handicapper of the Year Travis Pearson playing the horses, you’d be well served to head to a casino, but you’d be unlikely to find him in the race book. A better bet would be the poker room.

On the first Saturday in 2023, Dan Fischer enjoyed a day that could prove to be something of a “year maker” for him.

As of this writing, we’re nine days away from the start of the first leg of the 2023 Tourney Triple, the $250,000 Guaranteed Flo-Cal Faceoff here on January 14-15. Already, the number of confirmed entries has the pot nearing its guarantee—which means that the pot could significantly exceed $250,000 by the time we see the puck dropped for the Faceoff. 

Even before Travis Pearson’s 2022 HorseTourneys Tour victory was made official, the 2023 HT Tour got underway with Kirk Tesar of Indiana taking the first event of the New Year—a $20,000 Guaranteed Pick & Pray—on Sunday, January 1st.

Once again this year, the HT Tour will be a year-long concluding on Sunday, December 31st. At least $85,000 in bonuses will be awarded. Here’s how the prize structure shakes out:

While the rest of us were saying “Happy New Year!” (except for Ohio State Buckeyes fans), Dale Hatfield was undoubtedly still toasting the Happy Old Year.

Is it a Month-End Blowout? Is it a Year-End Blowout? Who cares as long as $50,000 is guaranteed to be in the pot?

The only person more locked in than Santa Claus this weekend…was Gregory Lewis.