Month: August 2023

Laurel Park: MJC Fall Champions Handicapping Tournament Set For Aug. 19

The Maryland Jockey Club will host the fall session of its bi-annual Champions Handicapping Tournament Saturday, Aug. 19 in the second-floor clubhouse sports bar at Laurel Park.

Berths to the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) and Pegasus World Cup Betting Championship (PWCBC) are on the line, as well as more than $55,000 in guaranteed prize money (based on 125 entries) among the top 10 finishers.

A maximum of two entries per person will be accepted at a cost of $500 each ($300 entry fee, $200 bankroll), payable by cash, credit card, money order or cashier's check. Players must be at least 21 to participate. The tournament will be limited to 300 entries.

The tournament winner will earn a minimum of $11,375 and have their choice of one of two berths to the 2024 NHC or a berth in the 2023 BCBC or 2024 PWCBC. The second-place finisher will get a minimum of $6,500 and the choice of one of the remaining three berths.

A minimum of $3,250 and the choice of the final two berths will go to the third-place finisher, and the fourth-place finisher will receive a minimum of $1,625 and the remaining berth. Players that finish fifth through 10th will earn a minimum of $1,625.

To be eligible for NHC seats, players must be an NHC tour member prior to the start of the Champions Tournament. If a player is ineligible, the NHC berth will be awarded to the entrant with the next highest tournament bankroll.

Tracks available for the tournament are Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park, Monmouth Park, Saratoga Race Course and Woodbine. From their $200 bankroll, players must make a minimum of 10 wagers at $20 per wager. Only win, place and show wagers will be considered valid.

The deadline for mail-in registration is Wednesday, Aug. 16. Registration can be made by phone or in person until noon Friday, Aug. 18. If entries are still available, players may register at the door starting at 10 a.m. Aug. 19 on a first-come, first-served basis.

For further information visit www.laurelpark.com/champions-handicapping-tournament/ or contact Diana Harbaugh at 443-547-5953 or Diana.Harbaugh@marylandracing.com.

Anthony Laurino of Raleigh, N.C. won the MJC's spring Champions Tournament March 26 with a final bankroll of $3,502 to top a field of 146 players. John Scheinman of Baltimore finished first in last year's fall Champions Tournament with a $1,691.10 bankroll to lead 131 entrants.

The 2024 NHC will take place March 15-17 in Las Vegas. The BCBC is Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita, and the PWCBC will be held in January 2024 at Gulfstream Park, home of the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1), $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) and $1 million Florida Derby (G1).

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Woodbine Entertainment Adds Three New Members To Board Of Directors

Woodbine Entertainment announced Wednesday that it has appointed long-time leading Standardbred owner and breeder Brad Grant, and Canadian sports business executive Scott Mitchell to its Board of Directors. ​

It was also announced Wednesday that Mark Saunders has been re-elected to Woodbine Entertainment's Board of Directors after taking a short leave of absence to run in the recent By-Election for Mayor of the City of Toronto.

“We are very pleased to welcome Brad and Scott, and welcome back Mark, to our Board,” said Hugh Mitchell, Chair of Woodbine Entertainment's Board of Directors. “Their diverse wealth of business acumen, knowledge, leadership and experience bodes well to contribute to our complex and growing business. Our Board very much looks forward to working with each of these exceptional individuals.”

Grant has been the leading Woodbine Standardbred owner for six of the last seven seasons and currently sits atop the standings for 2023. The Milton Sports Hall of Fame inductee (builder), was also named 2022 Owner of the Year by the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) and has owned several prominent horses in recent years, including part ownership of Bulldog Hanover and Atlanta.

A successful business leader and entrepreneur, Grant was honoured with a Hockey Canada Order of Merit in 2017 for his involvement in grassroots sports which included being Finance Chairman of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) for 10 years, Chairman of the OHA for four years, and a past owner of the Milton Merchants, a Tier II Junior A hockey team. He is also a past Chair, and current Vice Chair, for the Milton District Hospital Foundation and sits on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA).

Mitchell is currently the Managing Partner and CEO of the Hamilton Sports Group (HSG), the ownership group that operates the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL and Forge FC of the Canadian Premier League (CPL). He is also the co-founder and Chairman of the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and co-founder and Chairman of Canadian Soccer Business (CSB). The Canadian Premier League played its inaugural season in 2019 and is sanctioned as Canada's top professional domestic soccer league.

A native of Calgary, and resident of Toronto, Mitchell sits on several boards and advisory groups, including the Canadian Athletic Foundation, the CFL Board of Governors, CFL Ventures, CPL, and CSB amongst others. He and his extended family also have a deep passion for horse racing, both as dedicated fans and successful owners in both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing. Mitchell's father-in-law, the late Robert Harvey, was a prominent Thoroughbred owner and breeder who won two Sovereign Awards with Woodbine Mile winner Numerous Times and Coronation Futurity winner Hollinger. His father, the late Doug Mitchell, campaigned several Western Canadian Champion Standardbreds in Alberta including Nat Christie Memorial Pace winner Conditional.

Saunders is a retired police officer and most recently, the Chief of Police for the Toronto Police Service. As Chief of Police, Saunders successfully led the largest municipal Police Service in Canada and fourth largest in North America, helping to keep Toronto safe. As Deputy Chief, Saunders created and operationalized the “C3” Unit, a unit whose mandate is to investigate cybercrime and provide technology based investigative support throughout the Service.

“We welcome back Mark and look forward to benefiting from his experiences and leadership, as we do with Brad and Scott,” added Lawson. “All three individuals will add a breadth of knowledge and experience that will complement and support our existing directors as we continue to build our business and industry for future growth.”

Woodbine Entertainment also announced that former CEO and long-time Director Nick Eaves is retiring from the Board.

“I would like to thank Nick for his countless contributions to our organization and industry over the past several decades,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “His leadership and steady hand during challenging times served Woodbine well and our organization and industry continue to benefit from his leadership through the years.”

Grant, Mitchell and Saunders' appointments to Woodbine Entertainment's Board of Directors are subject to regulatory approval.

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NTRA Unveils New Logo For 25th Anniversary Of National Horseplayers Championship

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) has officially unveiled the new logo for the 25th Anniversary of the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) which will be held March 15-17, 2024 at the Horseshoe Las Vegas. The 2024 event will commemorate 25 years of the Championship, which engages thousands of horseplayers annually playing in competitive contests across the country. Since the inception of the NHC, nearly $50 million in cash and prizes have been awarded.

“Getting to the NHC is at the top of every horseplayer's bucket list and the NTRA is thrilled to be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the event this year,” said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. “This new logo merges NTRA's trademark horse, with a nod to the Horseshoe Las Vegas, with the featured 25th front and center. The event couldn't be possible without individuals playing throughout the year and we look forward to welcoming them to Las Vegas this year for the best NHC yet.”

The NHC is the world's richest and most prestigious handicapping tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities, and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. Each year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards.

Past NHC Champions include 2023 – Paul Calia; 2022 – David Harrison; 2021 – Justin Mustari; 2020 – Thomas Goldsmith; 2019 – Scott Coles; 2018 – Chris Littlemore; 2017 – Ray Arsenault; 2016 – Paul Matties, Jr.; 2015 – John O'Neil; 2014 – Jose Arias; 2013 – Jim Benes; 2012 – Michael Beychok; 2011 – John Doyle; 2010 – Brian Troop; 2009 – John Conte; 2008 – Richard Goodal; 2007 – Stanley Bavlish; 2006 – Ron Rippey; 2005 – Jamie Michelson, Jr.; 2004 – Kent Meyer; 2003 – Steve Wolfson, Jr.; 2002 – Herman Miller; 2001 – Judy Wagner; 2000 – Steven Walker.

For more information on the NHC or to join the NHC tour, visit NTRA.com/nhc.

About the NHC

The NHC is the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities, and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. There are no bye-ins to the NHC. Each year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards and is named Horseplayer of the Year. For more information on the NHC, visit NTRA.com/nhc.

ABOUT THE NTRA

The NTRA, based in Lexington, Ky. and Washington, D.C., is a broad-based coalition of more than 100 horse racing interests and thousands of individual stakeholders consisting of horseplayers, racetrack operators, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity, welfare and integrity of Thoroughbred racing.

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