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National Horseplayers Championship Berths Up For Grabs In Upcoming Contests

Highly-coveted berths to the $3 million-estimated National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) in Las Vegas remain up for grabs as the 2020-21 NHC Tour season winds down with online and on-track contests offered over the next two weekends and berths tied directly to season-long participation are determined by end-of-season Tour points totals.

Only six contests remain in the 2020-21 Tour season with events scheduled for Friday-Sunday on each of the next two weekends. In addition to the six remaining NHC contests, “feeder” contests offering complimentary berths into the main qualifiers are available every day for as little as $18 per entry.

A total of $300,000 in Tour prize money will be awarded to the top 15 finishers in the NHC Tour, based on the official 2020 NHC Tour rules. The newly-crowned NHC Tour Champion will win $100,000 and be eligible to compete for a $5 million bonus at the 2021 NHC.

The top 75 individual overall points leaders, who have not already qualified for the 2021 NHC through an officially-sanctioned NHC on-track or online contest at the end of the Tour season on January 23, will automatically qualify into the 2021 NHC. In addition, $15,000 will be paid out to the overall, official Tour Points Leaders, as of January 23, who are first-time NHC Tour members (e.g., “Rookies”).

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2021 NHC, presented by Racetrack Television Network, Caesars Entertainment and Bally's Las Vegas, will be contested August 27-29 at Bally's. 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.

Details on the Tour-ending NHC qualifiers are below:

Friday, January 15
Horseplayers.com

Prizes: 2 NHC berths and 2020 Tour Points + travel package guaranteed
Entry Fee: $75
More: https://horseplayers.com/contest/854510/friday-featured-hp-nhc-2021-nhc-qualifier-pick-pray-only-75-two-2-pkgs-gtd.html

Saturday, January 16
Horseplayers.com

Prizes: 2 NHC berths and 2020 Tour Points + travel package guaranteed
Entry Fee: $165
More: https://horseplayers.com/contest/854512/featured-saturday-nhc-2021-nhc-qualifier-live-2-pkgs-gtd.html

Canterbury Park
Prizes: 1 NHC berth (no 2020 Tour Points) + travel package guaranteed
Entry Fee: $100
More: https://www.canterburypark.com/racing-promotions/last-chance-nhc-qualifier-contest/

Sunday, January 17
Horseplayers.com

Prizes: 1 NHC berth per 21 entries guaranteed (Tour points if 2 berths awarded) + travel package
Entry Fee: $500
More: https://horseplayers.com/contest/854515/featured-sunday-nhc-2021-low-ratio-reduced-nhc-qualifier-live-min-10.html

Friday, January 22
Horseplayers.com

Prizes: 2 NHC berths and 2020 Tour Points + travel package guaranteed
Entry Fee: $75
Details posted soon on Horseplayers.com

Saturday, January 23
Horseplayers.com

Prizes: 2 NHC berths and 2020 Tour Points + travel package guaranteed
Entry Fee: $100
Details posted soon on Horseplayer.com.

Pegasus World Cup Betting Championship
Prizes: Up to 5 NHC berths awarded (player's choice 2021 or 2022) and 2020 Tour Points + travel package
Entry Fee: $6,000 ($5,000 bankroll + $1,000 entry fee)
More: https://www.xpressbet.com/pegasus-world-cup-betting-championship

One must be a current NHC Tour member to be eligible to win NHC entries. To sign up for the NHC Tour, go to www.ntra.com/membership. For more information on the NHC and NHC Tour, visit www.nhctour.com/nhc or contact Michele Ravencraft at mravencraft@ntra.com.

The post National Horseplayers Championship Berths Up For Grabs In Upcoming Contests appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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America’s Day At The Races Returns Jan. 16, Set For 22 Days Of Programming Through March

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the return of America's Day at the Races on Saturday, January 16, in what will be the first of 22 days of the acclaimed national horse racing telecast to air throughout January, February and March on FOX Sports.

Produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, America's Day at the Races will return Saturday on FS1 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will feature live racing from Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, including two stakes, the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt and the $150,000 Silverbulletday for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile, 70 yards on the dirt.

Both stakes also have implications for major races this May. The Lecomte is a Kentucky Derby qualifier, offering 10-4-2-1 points to the top-four finishers, while the Silverbulletday is a Kentucky Oaks qualifier, offering 10-4-2-1 points to the top-four finishers.

Racing fans and horseplayers can also look forward to five more telecasts of America's Day at the Races in January, along with 16 broadcasts scheduled for February and March.

Presented in 2021 by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, the telecasts will feature live racing from the Aqueduct winter meet as well as partner tracks, including Fair Grounds Race Course, Oaklawn Park, Tampa Bay Downs and others.

America's Day at the Races
January 2021
(All times Eastern)

Saturday, January 16: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. (FS1);
Friday, Jan. 22: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. (FS2);
Saturday, Jan. 23: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. (FS2);
Sunday, Jan. 24: 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. on FS2 & 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. on FS1);
Saturday, Jan. 30: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. on FS2, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. on FS1 & 6 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. on FS2); and,
Sunday, Jan. 31: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. (FS2)

America's Day at the Races
February 2021
(All times Eastern)

Saturday, Feb. 6: 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (FS2);
Saturday, Feb. 13: 2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (FS2);
Sunday, Feb. 14: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. (FS2);
Monday, Feb. 15 (Presidents' Day: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (FS2);
Saturday, Feb. 20: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. (FS2);
Sunday, Feb. 21: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. (FS2);
Saturday, Feb. 27: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. (FS2); and,
Sunday, Feb. 28: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. (FS2)

America's Day at the Races
March 2021
(All times Eastern)

Saturday, Mar. 6: 4:30p.m. – 7 p.m. (FS2);
Sunday, Mar. 7: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. (FS2);
Saturday, Mar. 13: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. (FS2);
Sunday, Mar. 14: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (FS2);
Saturday, March 20; 2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (FS2);
Sunday, March 21: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. (FS2);
Saturday, March 27: 2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (FS2); and,
Sunday, March 28: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (FS2).

NYRA will announce the complete spring schedule for America's Day at the Races later in 2021.

NYRA and FOX Sports began their collaboration during the summer of 2016 with the launch of Saratoga Live airing on FS2. In November of 2018, NYRA and FOX Sports announced a new long-term television programming deal to make FOX Sports the year-round national television home for NYRA racing.

America's Day at the Races is also broadcast throughout the year on NYRA's YouTube channel, which boasts more than 63,000 subscribers. NYRA's YouTube channel hosts race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.

NYRA Bets is the official online wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. Available to horseplayers nationwide, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack continues through Sunday, March 21. For the current broadcast schedule and additional programming information, visit NYRA.com.

The post America’s Day At The Races Returns Jan. 16, Set For 22 Days Of Programming Through March appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Jockey Gilligan Breaks Collarbone In Gate Incident, Expects To Be Out Five Weeks

Jockey Jack Gilligan, who had been enjoying early success at the current Fair Grounds meet, said he expects to be out four to five weeks after he broke his left collarbone in a gate accident in the last race on Jan. 10.

Gilligan was aboard Tripper John, a 4-year-old maiden gelding he had ridden before. He knew the horse had previously had issues with the gate but in their last start together they experienced no issues. After loading on Sunday, Gilligan said the horse went up with no warning, tossing him out the back of the gate. He remembers turning in midair and came down primarily on his left shoulder, breaking that collarbone in the same place he had broken it previously.

“It took me like four weeks to get back on horses and five weeks to get back racing [last time] so I'm hopeful for the same timeline,” he said. “It was a bit unlucky. If I'd fallen any other way I'd probably be all right. My collarbone, the way it healed was a little crooked, so that's probably why it was easier to break this time.”

Gilligan also said Wednesday that he would be getting evaluated to see if he had a concussion, as he also suffered some head trauma in the fall.

Tripper John was scratched after the incident, but Gilligan said he believed the horse was unharmed.

One of few advantages to breaking the same bone a second time is Gilligan said he's not in as much pain as he remembers from the first injury as long as he keeps his arm still. He expects the next few weeks to be quiet ones as he waits out the healing process, with a few days to grab some extra sleep and downtime before he must begin getting back to training.

So far this year, Gilligan has two wins, three seconds and eight thirds from 35 starts. To date, the British native has ridden 356 American winners since becoming licensed in the United States in 2014 and has piloted earners of more than $8.7 million.

The post Jockey Gilligan Breaks Collarbone In Gate Incident, Expects To Be Out Five Weeks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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More Disclosure, More Engagement, More Statistics On One Horseplayer’s Wish List For 2021

As a new year begins, Harness Racing Update writer Bob Heyden penned a column with his 21 suggestions for racetracks and broadcasters to improve the experience for horseplayers, both those stuck at home during the pandemic and those at the track.

Although Heyden's ideas focus on harness racing, many of them could ring just as true to lovers of flat racing.

Like many in flat racing, he calls for more information disclosure to horseplayers — a better explanation of rules regarding entries, scratches, and carryovers, as well as more information during inquiries or disqualifications. He points out that while some tracks have begun providing verbal explanations or readings of a decision after it's rendered, players watching at a simulcast area are often unable to hear the audio on a track feed and could benefit from written text appearing on the screen.

More statistics to handicappers, such as the success rate of odds-on favorites or success of pace elimination favorites would also be appreciated, according to Heyden.

While some pundits have cited racing's relatively high median age of participation as a drawback, Heyden points out that it would serve tracks well to make their content more engaging to their established fans. Features on new faces or lookbacks to retired favorites in programs or on broadcasts would be well-received in his view.