Political consultant Michael Beychok, winner of $1 million in the 2012 NHC, has often said that his annual handicapping focus really picks up after November–once the election cycles are complete.
To those of you who have locked up spots for the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge—congratulations! To those who, as of yet, have not—there’s still time…but not much. This is your last weekend to secure a $10,000 entry to racing’s most prestigious live-bankroll tournament. HorsePlayers will offer a total of four guaranteed spots—one each on Friday and Sunday and two on Saturday.
But this weekend is about way more than just the BCBC. In fact, it may offer something of an opportunity.
Not only is Breeders’ Cup Friday and Saturday the best betting weekend of the year, it may very well be the best contest weekend of the year. And that’s not just because of the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge.
Two weekends ago, Basking Ridge, New Jersey’s Howard Welsh won $40,000 in our $100,000 guaranteed tournament. Last weekend he scored back-to-back victories on in our $25,000 and $15,000 guaranteed games. But the 53-year-old financial planner was “only” 17th best out of 100 in Saturday’s $25,000 tourney. Was his hot streak finally over?
If your post Breeders’ Cup calendar for November looks a little bare, we can help you fill it up. This weekend—Sunday to be precise—we’ll be offering the year’s first qualifiers to both the Aqueduct Challenge on November 8 and the Hawthorne Fall NHC Super Qualifier on November 24-25. Those are just two of 17 featured tourneys slated for this weekend.
By John Gaspar
(John Gaspar was one of 56 contestants at the 2017 renewal of The BIG One at Laurel Park. Shortly after the competition, Gaspar wrote a lengthy recap of his experiences and thought processes during his three days in Maryland. We thought veteran players might enjoy another player’s perspective–and that those unfamiliar with contest play might find it interesting to follow along with John through the great many decisions he was faced with over the two-day contest. What follows is John’s unabridged, 8,000+ word take on The BIG One.)
(By Jim Mulvihill of the NTRA and courtesy of Keeneland)
Tom Maloof, a 59-year-old project management consultant from Middleborough, Mass., cashed big on the first and last races of the card to amass a final bankroll of $13,004 and win Sunday’s BCBC/NHC Challenge, the richest handicapping contest of the meet. In addition to his bankroll winnings, Maloof took home a $21,000 first-place cash prize, plus an all-expenses-paid berth to the $2.9 million (est.) National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) and a paid entry to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC).
In a run of contest excellence that HorseTourneys president McKay Smith called “unprecedented,” Howard Welsh of Basking Ridge, N.J. followed up last Saturday’s win in our $100,000 guaranteed tournament with back-to-back victories on Saturday and Sunday in our $25,000 and $15,000 guaranteed games, respectively.
Top-40 results from the October 5-7 Orleans Fall Classic. Congratulations to winner Russ Edwards.
(Courtesy of Keeneland)
La Coronel loves Keeneland….John Oxley’s super filly improved her record to 3-3 in graded stakes at Keeneland by winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) today.
And Nick Tammaro, noted handicapper from Houston, Texas, loves La Coronel. So much so that he hit a $50 exacta in the QEII and a $50 double keying her with 10th race winner Bee Jersey as he compiled an impressive $7,480 bankroll from the original $250, to win the 2017 Keeneland Fall Challenge.
HorseTourneys.com Blog 