Tag: Horseplayers

Paul Halloran of Lynn, Massachusetts, topped a record field of 292 players and took down first prize of $73,000 in the Grade One Gamble, Keeneland's signature handicapping contest held Saturday, April 15. Halloran crushed the late daily double with a $10,000 wager on odds-on favorite In Italian (GB) in the Jenny Wiley (G1) and 5-2 favorite Tarabi in the last race to yield winnings of $59,900 and a final bankroll of $60,105.

The Grade One Gamble attracted players from across the U.S. and Canada, who participated at Keeneland and on XpressBet, TVG, 4NJBets, NYRABets and HPI. The buy-in of $3,500 included $2,500 in live bankroll bet on Keeneland's Saturday card.

Halloran writes for The Saratoga Special, which is produced during the meet at Saratoga Race Course in New York, and his journey to Lexington was primarily to work on a book project about Cody Dorman, namesake of 2022 Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner Cody's Wish. After visiting with the Dorman family, Halloran went to Keeneland with a friend, Howard Kravets, cohost of the HHH Racing Podcast. Halloran decided the morning of the Grade One Gamble to enter the contest.

Drew Coatney of Columbus, Ohio, followed his massive win in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge at Keeneland with a second-place showing in the Grade One Gamble. Coatney wagered his entire bankroll on the final race and caught a $10,000 win payoff on Tarabi that yielded $37,300.

Halloran and Coatney, along with third-place finisher Michael Somich, Marshall Gramm (fourth), Brent Kelly (fifth) and Paul Matties (sixth), each won $10,000 berths in the 2023 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge at Santa Anita and berths in the 2024 NTRA National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas. In addition, the next four winners – Rockwood Edwards, Joseph Carnavale, George Chute and Augie Quirch – will join the top six in Las Vegas for the NHC.

The post Last-Minute Entrant Paul Halloran Captures Keeneland’s Grade One Gamble Handicapping Contest appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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So far this season through Sunday, April 9, 2023, there have been 566 races contested at Sha Tin and Happy Valley. Two more were scheduled but were abandoned due to accidents. The good news is that the races have been especially formful.

Of those 566 races, 183 favorites won for a 32% strike rate, which is about what it is every season. There were 12.12 starters in each race and the average win price was $18.14.

There are three surfaces that Hong Kong races are run over and each have their nuances. The most, 271, were run over the wide and expansive turf course at Sha Tin. Depending on the rail placement, the homestretch is 430M long and enables horses to build momentum around the turn and have plenty of time before they hit the wire. And most Sha Tin turf races are run around only one turn so traffic is less of an issue.

So, it is no surprise that 92 favorites won the 271 races over the Sha Tin turf for a 33.95% strike rate even though there were 12.67 starters in each turf race. But there can be a chaotic element since the average win price is $19.40.

Inside of the Sha Tin turf course is the All Weather Track (AWT).

Also referred to as the dirt track, it plays very fast with running times going six furlongs often faster than running times going six furlongs on the turf. There have been 59 races run on the AWT this season. 21 favorites won for a 35.6% strike rate. The average field size is 11.93 and the average win price is $16.76.

Happy Valley only races on its turf course which is relatively tight. 1000M races are run around one turn and 1200M races come out of a chute before straightening out. Two-turn races have a long run into the first turn.

Depending upon the rail placement, the homestretch is only around 330M. Considering how tight the final turn is, there is not a lot of room to make up ground. What works at Happy Valley are horses that accelerate quickly. Horses can win from off the pace but need a clear trip to do it. Luckily, since few horses begin their careers at Happy Valley, the ones that race there have established form.

There have been 236 races run at Happy Valley so far this season and favorites have won 70 races for a 29.67% strike rate. The average field size is 11.52 starters per race and the average win price is $17.05.

Just like there are horses for courses, there are trainers for courses. Caspar Fownes only has eight winners on the Sha Tin turf course but his 23 winners at Happy Valley are the most. Francis Lui is next with 22 winners.

Among the jockeys, it is no surprise that Zac Purton has 71 winners on the Sha Tin turf course. Hugh Bowman is a distant second with 28. But at Happy Valley, Vincent Ho has 38 winners to Purton's 32.

Win percentages show how stark the difference is. Purton wins 29.09% on the Sha Tin turf and 17.20% at Happy Valley. Vincent Ho only wins 7.72% on the Sha Tin Turf but his 17.76% at Happy Valley is higher than Purton's.

The post Hong Kong Racing Study Guide: Sha Tin, Happy Valley Surfaces Produce Varying Results appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Will Rogers Downs has cancelled its April 17, 18, and 19 cards due to a track surface issue.

In a statement released by racing secretary and track announcer John Lies on Twitter, the track indicated a small portion of the track was “contaminated during a tractor fire late last week.”

Maintenance crews had worked on the area through the weekend and will continue to “optimize track conditions” according to the statement.

Lies indicated the Wilma Mankiller and Highland Ice Stakes will be run next week.

The current season at Will Rogers Downs runs March 6 to May 17.

The post Will Rogers Downs Cancels Three Days Of Racing Due To Track Issue appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The first of five free online qualifiers for the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) is set for this Saturday April 22 on HorsePlayers.com, the official online qualifying site of the NHC. The top three finishers in the contest will earn automatic berths to the 25^th Annual NHC, which is slated to be held at the Horseshoe Las Vegas next March 15-17, 2024. An additional $1,000 in HorsePlayers credits will be distributed to the next top 25 finishers of the contest.

Registration is now open HERE.

The remainder of the free contest schedule for the 2023 NHC Tour is as follows:

·   Sunday, May 14

·   Saturday, July 1

·   Sunday, August 27

·   Sunday, October 8

Participants in the online qualifier must be a 2023 NHC Tour member to be eligible to win a qualifying spot to the NHC. Players failing to register for NHC Tour membership prior to the start of this event will forfeit their opportunity to win a qualifying package.

Each winning prize package includes an NHC entry, a four-night stay at the Horseshoe Las Vegas, and a $500 travel reimbursement. All participants will be awarded 50 NHC Tour points and additional NHC Tour points will be awarded to the top 100 finishers.

Tour membership starts at $50 and includes entry to the year's remaining free online qualifiers, as well as access to dozens of contests each week. To sign up for the NHC Tour, go to www.ntra.com/membership. Individuals also must be registered at HorsePlayers.com (free).

Every free online contest on HorsePlayers.com is determined by mythical Win and Place wagers on a series of mandatory races across the country with selections submitted in advance of the first designated contest race per the “Pick and Pray” format.

For more information on the NHC and NHC Tour, visit www.ntra.com/nhc.

The post First Of Five Free Online NHC Qualifiers Set For April 22 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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