Kovalesky Leads at NHC

With a single optional race to play Saturday evening, Scottsdale, Arizona resident Dan Kovalesky was atop the leaderboard at the National Handicapping Tournament in Las Vegas. The 33-year-old nailed big-priced horses at Gulfstream early in the day to push his bankroll to a final tally of $260.80. That led Ray Arsenault and Frank Mustari in second and third.

Saturday's second day of the NHC concluded the two open sessions, with the top 66 players now advancing to Sunday morning's semi-final round. Players will wager mythical $2 win/place bets on 10 races-all optional-after which the top 10 will advance to the Final Table, which begins at 1:30 p.m. PT. The final will be comprised of seven races, all mandatory.

If Kovalesky is able to maintain his advantage and make the Final Table, it will be his second time on the stage of the main ballroom at Treasure Island. He finished 5th in the NHC in 2013.

“I've got a $40 cushion right now [between 1st and 10th], and hopefully I'll be able to make the Final Table again,” said Kovalesky.

Kovalesky's biggest score on the day came via the 49-1 winner Proctor's Ledge (Ghostzapper), who just held by a neck in her second start, a nine-furlong maiden special over Gulfstream's turf. Kovalesky earned $42 for the score, as winning bets are capped at 20-1.

“It's usually not my style, but I didn't really have an opinion in that race,” said Kovalesky, a sales rep who sells restaurant equipment. “But it was the kind of race with a lot of come-from-behind horses, and I know Lanerie [jockey Corey] loves to save ground, and he got a perfect trip.”

Kovalesky came back in the seventh at Gulfstream and picked the 13-1 Pretty Perfection (Majesticperfection) in the five-furlong Ladies' Turf Sprint S.

The Treasure Island ballroom has been good to Kovalesky. He also won last year's Last Chance Tournament, held the Thursday before the NHC starts.

Off the Hook's Joe Appelbaum, featured earlier this week, missed the final cut when his final pick, Ballado Ballet (Dance the Ballado), failed to hit the board in the finale at Fair Grounds. Appelbaum won the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge back in November and was eligible for a $3 million bonus if he was able to double up in the NHC.