NHC 19 Kicks Off Friday

Nearly $3 million will be up for grabs this weekend in Las Vegas as the 19th National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) begins its three-day run Friday. An estimated field of 700 entries will assemble at Treasure Island to take aim at a projected pot of $2.96 million–the largest purse in handicapping tournament history. The winner will get $800,000 and an Eclipse Award as racing's official Horseplayer of the Year.

“This year's total NHC prize money will be about double what it was only five years ago, in 2014,” said NTRA Chief Operating Officer and NHC Tournament Director Keith Chamblin. “We are very grateful to so many horseplayers and participating organizations throughout the industry for their help making the NHC a singular event that represents the ultimate prize for horseplayers.”

The NHC is made up of 570 individual players; 130 are dual qualifiers playing the maximum two entries.

The tournament is based on mythical $2 win/place wagers. The top 10% of players after Days 1 and 2, based on a cumulative bankroll, advance to Sunday's semifinal. From there, the highest 10 cumulative scores roll over to the Final Table. The 10 finalists play seven mandatory races to determine the champion. There is a consolation tournament for those Sunday players that don't make the final.

Last year, Thornhill, Ontario's Ray Arsenault rode a hot streak to victory in the NHC, and was honored for the achievement at last month's Eclipse Award. Arsenault banked $407.70 from a total of 53 win/place wagers, selected from a total of 150 races at eight different tracks. Arsenault said repeating will be anything but easy.

“You're going against 700 of the best handicappers out there,” said Arsenault. “They all got there by being good one day or many days. So it's very tough. The stars have to align; the horses have to run for you.”

No player has ever won the NHC twice, but 12 will have the chance in 2018. Arsenault is back, as is Paul Matties (2016), John O'Neil (2015), Jose Arias (2014), Michael Beychok (2012), John Doyle (2011), Brian Troop (2010), John Conte (2009), Richard Goodall (2008), Stanley Bavlish (2007), Steve Wolfson Jr. (2003), and Judy Wagner (2001).

“Over the years I've met all these great people,” Arsenault said about the tournament experience. “Being at the NHC, we're all there, or most of us. We have a great time. And we keep in touch all year-round. There's nothing better. The people are fantastic.”

Several players are eligible for big bonuses in the NHC. The Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) winner Nisan Gabbay ranks a chance at a huge $3-million BCBC/NHC Bonus. A San Francisco resident, Gabbay is a 40-year-old software developer and owner of a tech startup who earned $350,000 for winning the BCBC at Del Mar in November. Mike Ferrozzo won the 2017 NHC Tour, which earned him $100,000 and an NHC berth. He's in line for a $2-million bonus should he win the NHC.

Hawthorne sponsors million-dollar bonuses for their Holiday Extravaganza champions, John Ukleja and Paul Langley, respectively. Both are eligible for a $1 million bonus. And Ed Peters, winner of The Big One at Laurel, is eligible for a $500,000 bonus.

On Saturday, the NTRA also will host an invitation-only online tournament, the Tito's $10,000 Charity Challenge. A field of about 40 celebrities and racing personalities will compete to have $10,000 donated in their names to three different causes–the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, official charity of the NHC ($5,000); a nonprofit of the winner's choosing ($2,500); and a nonprofit to be determined by Tito's ($2,500).

Here are some NHC resources:

Tournament scoreboard: https://www.ntra.com/nhc

Live video coverage, hosted by Noel Michaels: http://www.facebook.com/1NTRA

Twitter news and updates: @NTRA

At the Races with Steve Byk: Sirius 219; XM 206; Online 964 & http://www.stevebyk.com.