Joseph (Kevin) Costello, a 53-year-old executive from Chicago, Ill., rode the strength of four victories and 14 top 10 finishes in handicapping contests to run away with the 2021 National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) Tour title. Costello, who has qualified to the NHC each year since 2016, earned $75,000 for winning the NHC Tour and is eligible for a $5 million bonus if he captures the 2022 NHC Jan. 28-30 at Bally's Las Vegas.
“I always wanted to have the knowledge that I'm consistently good and that's what the Tour does,” said Costello, who became enamored with Thoroughbred racing after watching Unbridled win the 1990 Kentucky Derby and learning that the horse was stabled for a portion of his career at Arlington Park near Chicago. Costello said he does all of his handicapping using a pen, a piece of paper and the Daily Racing Form Classic past performances. “I handicap races the way our grandparents did,” he said.
Costello won the Last Chance, First Chance NHC qualifier in Las Vegas on the eve of the 2021 NHC and won three other contests, including two at his hometown racetrack of Hawthorne Race Course, over the course of 2021. Costello concluded the 2021 Tour season with 22,540 points amassed from his top seven scores. James Henry finished in second place with 20,218 points and $30,000 in Tour earnings, followed by Jay Johns (20,139, $20,000), Rob Henie (19,935, $20,000) and Brian Chenvert (19,770, $20,000). The complete 2021 Tour results can be found at https://www.ntra.com/nhc/leaders/.
Previous winners of the NHC Tour include: Sally Goodall (2020), David Snyder (2019), David Gutfreund (2018), Mike Ferrozzo (2017), Cheryl McIntyre (2016), Jonathon Kinchen (2015), Eric Moomey (2014), Brent Sumja (2013), Mark Streiff (2012), Paul Shurman (2011), Tom Noone (2010), Bryan Wagner (2009) and Sam Brooks (2008).
More than 5,000 NHC Tour members participated in 2021 handicapping qualifiers leading to the 2022 NHC. The 2022 NHC Tour season begins January 27 with the Last Chance, First Chance Contest at Bally's. To sign up for the 2022 NHC Tour, go to www.ntra.com/membership beginning January 17. For more information on the NHC Tour benefits and to view the official rules go to www.nhctour.com.
The NHC Tour is a yearlong bonus series offering additional prize money and qualifying berths to the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC). Membership in the NHC Tour is mandatory in order for top finishers of sanctioned NHC qualifying events to be eligible to compete in the NHC Finals in Las Vegas. Membership in the NHC Tour is open to adults 21 years of age or older and requires a one-time, annual membership fee of $50. The NHC Tour membership must be in place prior to the start of any given qualifying tournament in order for one to qualify for the NHC Finals at that qualifying tournament.
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