David Harrison of Webster, N.Y., leads the 2022 NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) presented by Racetrack Television Network, Caesars Entertainment, and Bally's Las Vegas, with a bankroll of $325.60 following Sunday morning's Semifinals round.
The top 10 continue on to this afternoon's Final Table presented by Caesars Sportsbook and Global Tote, A BetMakers Company, where the ultimate placings will be determined for the $725,000 grand prize down to $50,000 for 10th. Bankrolls from previous rounds carry over to the Final Table, where players must select one horse for a mythical $2 Win-Place wager on each of the same seven races.
The Final Table players, in descending order by bankroll:
Bankroll, Name, Hometown, Qualifying Site, Past NHC success
1. $325.60, David Harrison, Webster, N.Y., HorsePlayers.com, 3-time NHC qualifier
2. $295.20, Albion Benton, Manchester, N.H., HorsePlayers.com, 3x qualifier
3. $291.80, Ryan Patrick Scully, Montgomery, Ill., Hawthorne Race Course, first-time qualifier
4. $263.40, David McCarty, San Diego, NHC Tour, 8x qualifier
5. $257.60, Frank Paros, Jupiter, Fla., Canterbury Park, first-time qualifier
6. $252.80, Sally Goodall, Las Vegas, NTRA / HorseTourneys.com, 20x qualifier, NHC Hall of Fame
7. $245.10, Shirley Wolff, Holmdel, N.J., Horseplayers.com, 3x qualifier
8. $240.40, Mike Somich, Raleigh, N.C., Lone Star Park, 3x qualifier, Day 2 highest earner
9. $239.10, Kevin Smith, Coral Gables, Fla., Bally's Last Chance, 2x qualifier
10. $234.00, Dale Day, Yukon, Okla., NTRA free contest, first-time qualifier
The Final Table mandatory races are (all times PT): Gulfstream Park Race 10, 1:42 p.m.; Fair Grounds Race 7, 2:05 p.m.; Sam Houston Race 6, 2:23 p.m.; Fair Grounds Race 8, 2:36 p.m.; Sam Houston Race 8, 3:23 p.m., Sam Houston Race 9, 3:53 p.m.; Santa Anita Park Race 9, 4:34 p.m.
Sam Houston's stakes-laden Houston Racing Festival card is part of the Final Table for the first time since the Final Table's debut as the climactic round of play in 2014.
In addition to the $725,000 first-place cash prize, the winner of the Final Table will receive an Eclipse Award as the 2022 Horseplayer of the Year and will be honored at next year's Eclipse Awards ceremony. The upcoming Eclipse Awards on Feb. 10 will honor 2021 champions, including 2021 NHC winner and Horseplayer of the Year Justin Mustari.
NHC Tour winner Kevin Costello advanced to the Semifinals with both of his entries, finishing 19th ($206) with Entry 1 and 53rd with Entry 2 ($173.60), which was the one eligible for a $5 million bonus if he could have won the NHC. Costello was the only player with two entries in the Semifinals round.
For the complete TVG Leaderboard and other contest information, please visit NTRA.com.
In a separate Consolation Tournament for players that did not reach the Semifinals round, David Wolff of Holmdel, N.J., husband of Final Table player Shirley Wolff, won the $10,000 top prize with a bankroll of $141.60 from 10 optional races. The Consolation Tournament started with bankrolls reset to zero. Cash prizes totaling $50,000 were awarded, from the $10,000 first prize down to $1,000 for 20th.
The three-day NHC wraps up Sunday evening with the annual Champions Dinner at the Bally's Event Center.
In addition to its three presenting sponsors – RTN, Caesars Entertainment, and Bally's Las Vegas – the NHC is supported by official partners Daily Racing Form, EquinEdge, FanDuel Group, Four Roses Bourbon, NYRA Bets, Race Lens, TVG, and 1/ST Bet. The Final Table, where only the top 10 players advance to determine final placings based on seven climactic races, is sponsored by Caesars Sportsbook and Global Tote, A BetMakers Company.
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