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NHC Veteran Sally Goodall Captures Elusive Tour Title

Sally Goodall's name was already synonymous with success on the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) Tour.

In the 22 years the NHC tournament has been in existence, Goodall has qualified to vie for Horseplayer of the Year honors a record 19 times. Whenever she enters a Las Vegas ballroom alongside her fellow handicappers, she is recognized as one of the most skilled members of the community.

After years of being heralded as one of the top players on the NHC Tour, Goodall has the ultimate bragging right to accompany her reputation. Bolstered by three online contest wins in the first half of 2020, the resident of Las Vegas was able to earn 22,330 points to claim her first career NHC Tour title in a razor-tight finish over runner-up Dylan Donnelly.

Only 54 points separated the top two finishers on the Tour with Donnelly notching 22,276 points following a season that saw him prevail in five online contests. Goodall's strength early in 2020 – she was dual qualified for the 2021 NHC by March – and yearlong consistency allowed the NHC veteran to take home the $100,000 first-place prize, a 2022 NHC seat, and the chance to play for an additional $5 million in bonuses at the 2021 NHC to be held at Bally's Las Vegas on August 27-29.

In securing the 2020 NHC Tour title, Goodall earned one of the few remaining NHC accolades her household was missing. Her husband, Richard, won the 2008 NHC title and was inducted into the NHC Hall of Fame last February. The couple proudly states they plan most of their year around the annual Las Vegas-based tournament, a diligence Sally Goodall demonstrated better than ever this past season.

“We focus on NHC contests every day,” Sally Goodall said. “Since I met my husband, he took me to the racetrack and we play the horses for fun. He has mentored me and taught me very well how to bet on horses for the contests. We have fun and we've gotten lucky too.”

Sally Goodall's luck was accompanied by a good deal of skill in 2020. In addition to her three contest wins, she posted five other top-10 finishes, earning precious points in a year when every bit mattered.

The margin from first to fifth on the NHC Tour leaderboard was separated by only 1,246 points. Just behind Donnelly was third-place finisher Thomas Blosser, who finished with 21,335 points, while Brett Wiener (21,199) and David Wolff (21,084) were fourth and fifth, respectively. Total prize money for the Tour was $300,000 with $50,000 going to the runner-up, $25,000 to third, $20,000 to fourth, and $17,500 to fifth.

Overall NHC Tour standings are determined by totaling a player's top seven scores from eligible qualifying contests.

In her 18 prior trips to the NHC tournament, Sally Goodall has cashed once for $24,000 when she finished 12th overall in 2017. She has now been dual qualified in seven of the last eight years and can once again take aim at getting her handicapping prowess to translate to a spot in the NHC Final Table.

“The contests are fun to do. It's different the strategy than betting live,” Goodall said. “I do like breeding, and (I'll look at) jockeys and trainer combinations. But I just enjoy meeting the people at the NHC. Everyone knows me, I know them, and it's like a family reunion. It's good to achieve the goals, and (my husband and I) both did.”

The top NHC Tour Rookie for 2020 was Kris Andaur, who earned 13,052 points. Andaur, a resident of League City, TX, will be honored with the Jim Nace Award at the NHC awards dinner.

The top five rookies receive a total of $15,000 with $5,000 going to first, $4,000 to second-place, $3,000 for third-place, $2,000 for fourth-place, and $1,000 for fifth-place.

To sign up for the NHC Tour, go to www.ntra.com/membership. For more information on the NHC Tour benefits and to view the official rules go to www.nhctour.com. A schedule of 2021 Tour events will be updated regularly at https://www.ntra.com/nhc/nhc-events/.

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Free Equibase PP’s For All Races On America’s Day At The Races

America's Day at the Races, the acclaimed national telecast produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, continues Saturday with stakes action from Oaklawn Park, Santa Anita Park, Tampa Bay Downs, and Aqueduct Racetrack.

Presented by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America's Day at the Races will air from 2:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Eastern on FS2, including a pair of important Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races.

Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out top contenders Overtook and Donegal Bay in the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers [Race 8, 4:25 p.m.] at the Big A, which offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

A talented field of nine for the nine-furlong Withers includes Jerome-winner Capo Kane and promising maiden winner Risk Taking for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.

Tampa Bay Downs has four stakes on offer on their Festival Preview Day card, led by the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis [Race 11, 5:02 p.m.], also offering 10-4-2-1 qualifying points for the first Saturday in May.

A wide-open field for the 1 1/16-mile test features Candy Man Rocket, who earned a field-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure in a last-out maiden win at Gulfstream Park for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Mott will also be represented by stakes winner Nova Rags, who arrives off a score in the seven-furlong Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs. The Pletcher-trained Known Agenda, looking to rebound from a third in the Remsen at the Big A, will have the services of Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.

Also on tap Saturday at Tampa is the Grade 3, $175,000 Endeavour [Race 10, 4:32 p.m.]at 1 1/16-miles on the turf for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up; the Grade 3, $175,000 Tampa Bay [Race 8, 3:30 p.m.] for 4-year-olds and up on the turf and the $150,000 Suncoast [Race 9, 4:02 p.m.], a main track route for sophomore fillies.

Stakes action from Santa Anita Park will include the Grade 2, $200,000 San Marcos, a 10-furlong turf test for 4-year-olds and upward; and the Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores featuring the stakes debut of the promising maiden winner Concert Tour.

Leading the action at Oaklawn Park is the $150,000 King Cotton [Race 8, 5:40 p.m.], a six-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up led by graded-stakes winner Flagstaff for trainer John Sadler.

America's Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA's YouTube channel which boasts more than 64,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA's channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA's YouTube channel also hosts a plethora of race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.

Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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TVG Broadcasting Live From Tampa, Santa Anita This Weekend

TVG, America's horse racing network, will be live on-site at Tampa Bay Downs and Santa Anita. Graded stakes races from coast to coast, including prep races for the Kentucky Derby (G1) – the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) from Tampa Bay Downs and the $250,000 Withers Stakes (G3) from Aqueduct – will highlight the weekend coverage.

Todd Schrupp, Britney Eurton and Christina Blacker will be reporting live from Santa Anita with exclusive interviews and analysis of the ten-race card which features four graded stakes races – the $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G3), the $200,000 San Marcos Stakes (G3), the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (G2) and the $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes (G3). The San Vicente Stakes, a seven-furlong contest for 3-year-olds, has drawn a field of six including Freedom Fighter, an impressive maiden winner for trainer Bob Baffert. The son of Violence has drawn the inside post under jockey Drayden Van Dyke.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby will run through Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday and TVG's Gabby Gaudet will be trackside with expanded coverage of the twelve-race

Festival Preview Day card. The featured race is the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3), a stepping stone to the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) on March 6. The Sam F. Davis Stakes will offer offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers and has drawn an overflow field of thirteen contenders including two for trainer Todd Pletcher. Pletcher will send out Known Agenda, third in the Remsen Stakes (G3) with John Velazquez aboard and Milean, a recent maiden winner with Robby Alvarado, Jr. in the irons.

TVG will also be broadcasting another prep race on the road to the Kentucky Derby – the $250,000 Withers Stakes (G3) from Aqueduct which will also offer 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers. The Withers Stakes has drawn a contentious field of nine including California-bred Capo Kane, winner of the Jerome Stakes on New Year's Day. Trained by Harold Wyner, the son of Street Sense will be ridden by Dylan Davis.

In addition to racing from Tampa Bay Downs and Santa Anita, TVG will be featuring racing from Oaklawn Park, Gulfstream, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

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Santa Anita: Mandatory Payout Could Drive Saturday’s Pick 6 Jackpot Over $5 Million

With a mandatory payout in place, 100 horses entered and eligible to run, average field size for Saturday's highly anticipated 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6 Jackpot at Santa Anita stands at 10 runners per race, ensuring the possibility of $5 million Jackpot pool at the Arcadia, Calif., track.

First post time for a 10-race card Saturday is at 12 noon Pacific and assigned post time for race five, the first installment in the Rainbow 6, is set for 2:08 p.m. PT. With a Jackpot carryover of $843,235 into Friday, track officials have projected Saturday's total Jackpot pool could exceed $5 million.

(Fans are advised that Saturday's Jackpot pool projection is based upon there being no single ticket winner on Friday. First post time for an eight-race card Friday is at 12:30 p.m.).

Here is a brief race-by-race look at Saturday's 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6, with the morning line favorite in each race.

Race 5 Approximate post time 2:08 p.m. PT

CA Bred or Sired Maiden 3-year-old Fillies
Claiming $50,000-$45,000
6 ½ Furlongs
Purse $35,000

A field of 12 has been assembled, with the Steve Knapp-trained Smoothlikebuttah designated as the 7-2 morning line favorite. Most recently sixth going one mile on turf in the California Cup Oaks Jan. 16, this daughter of Mr. Big will be running for a claiming tag for the first time in what will be her ninth career start. Knapp is enjoying a high percentage meeting and Smoothlikebuttah will be ridden for the first time by Joel Rosario, who will be tasked with working out a winning trip from the rail.

Race 6
Allowance, 4-year-olds and up
1 1/8 Mile Turf
Purse $63,000

With a field of 10, Joel Rosario once again lands on the morning line favorite, as he sticks with English-bred Whisper Not, who comes off a close third place finish in the opening day Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile. Trained by Richard Baltas, Whisper Not, who has been installed as the 9-5 early choice, will be making his third stateside start for Baltas and will likely employ a stalking style as he stretches out a furlong from his number six post position.

Race 7
GRADE 2 SAN VICENTE STAKES
3-year-olds
Seven Furlongs
Purse $200,000

An important prep to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3, the San Vicente will be contested by five sophomores, including two trained by Bob Baffert. Concert Tour, who has drawn the outside with Joel Rosario, comes off a smashing 3 ½-length first-out maiden win going six furlongs on Jan. 15 and has been designated the 8-5 favorite. Baffert's Freedom Fighter, idle since breaking his maiden at first asking going five furlongs on Aug. 1 at Del Mar, is the co-second choice at 5-2 along with Eric Kruljac's California-bred The Chosen Vron, who trounced nine statebred rivals by 6 ¾ lengths on Dec. 27.

Race 8
GRADE 3 THUNDER ROAD STAKES
4-year-olds and up
One Mile Turf
Purse: $100,000

In what appears to be a wide-open affair, 5-year-old Bob and Jackie has been designated the 5-2 morning line favorite among a field of eight. Most recently second in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes going a mile and one eighth on turf Jan. 2, this 5-year-old horse by Twirling Candy cuts back to a distance at which he's won on three of six occasions. Trained by Richard Baltas, he'll be ridden by Heriberto Figueroa from post seven.

Race 9
4-year-olds and up
Claiming $16,000- $12,500
6 ½ Furlongs
Purse $24,000

The Rainbow Six doesn't get any easier in leg five, which has attracted a field of 12. Trained by Vladimir Cerin, lightly raced Threearchbaymafia drew post eight, takes a notable drop in class from allowance company on Jan. 1 and is the tepid 4-1 morning line favorite. A maiden $20,000 claiming winner going 5 ½ furlongs two starts back at Del Mar Nov. 15, this 4-year-old colt by Will Take Charge finished eighth in a six furlong allowance last time out and will get the first-time services of Umberto Rispoli in what will be his fourth career start.

Race 10
Maiden 3-year-old Fillies
Claiming $50,000-$45,000
6 ½ Furlongs
Purse: $35,000

In yet another seemingly wide-open affair, the Peter Eurton-trained Agreetodisagree looms as the 7-2 morning line favorite in a field of 12. Fifth, beaten 20 ½ lengths in a one-mile maiden special weight here on Jan. 8, this 3-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Runhappy cuts back in distance and takes a massive drop in class in what will be her fourth start. To be ridden for the third consecutive time by Mario Gutierrez, Agreetodisagree, who drew post position seven, will be running for a claiming tag for the first time.

With first post time set for 12 noon, fans are encouraged to tune into santaanita.com/live at 10:50 a.m. for an in-depth handicapping seminar hosted by Track Announcer Frank Mirahmadi and Tom Quigley.

All of Santa Anita's races are offered free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager via several ADW platforms, including 1^st.com/Bet.

First post time for an eight-race card on Big Game Sunday at Santa Anita is at 11 a.m.

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