Craig Siedler Sweeps To Victory In Del Mar Summer Handicapping Challenge

Craig Siedler, from Henderson, NV, catapulted into the lead in the second race Saturday and never looked back in the two-day 18th annual Del Mar Summer Challenge. Siedler won handily over 127 classy entries with a final bankroll of an unfathomable $100,000 from the $3,000 starting bankroll. Prize winnings totaled $50,000 including $35,000 cash, a $10,000 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) entry at Del Mar and an August 21 $5,000 Pacific Classic Betting Challenge Del Mar entry. The final bankroll and prizes totaled $150,000.

Matt Arndt of Tempe, AZ and Jim Meeks from Elko, NV finished second and third to round out the top three. Cash and prizes for Matt were $27,000 while Jim received $15,000.

Siedler hit exacta and trifecta wagers in the contest's second race to put him in the lead with a score of over $19,000 then followed that up with a nearly all-time exacta payoff in race 7. Siedler had 78-1 winner Miss Carousel over 27-1 After Midnight an amazing 50 times for more than $51,000 in race winnings. The $1 exacta payoff of $1,025 just missed an all-time Del Mar record. His incredible day ended with $82,617 and he kept firing Sunday pushing his total all the way to the insurmountable six figure finale.

The top five finishers receive BCBC entries in the November 5 and 6 Breeders' Cup at Del Mar.

PLACE NAME FINAL BANKROLL

1 Craig Siedler $100,000.70
2 Matt Arndt $47,080.00
3 Jim Meeks $36,000.00
4 Bill Chenvert $27,400.50
5 Ron Myeress $20,315.20
6 Rob Talstra $14,003.50
7 Michael Shutty $13,000.00
8 Carl Rasak $12,456.00
9 Gary West $11,570.00
10 Steve Eisner $8,416.50

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NHC Rundown: 2020 NHC Champion Thomas Goldsmith Qualifies For 2022 Championships

Each week, the NTRA will provide a rundown of those who have qualified for the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) from the previous weekend. A total of eight individuals qualified for the 2022 NHC, led by Thomas Goldsmith, who won the 2020 NHC title. Dave Wang, of Las Vegas, became a double qualifier.

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. The 2021 NHC is slated to take place in the Bally's Events Center from Aug. 27-29 with the 2022 NHC set for Jan. 28-30 at Bally's.

Last weekend's qualifiers, and their respective contest sites, are as follows:

Horseplayers, Friday, 7/9/2021

Dave Wang of Las Vega, NV, has double qualified for the 2022 NHC.

“I am excited to be double qualified for the 2022 NHC,” said Wang. “Obviously, two entries are better than one but I think this is especially true in the mandatory races. I am usually torn between two horses in the generally full-fields of the mandatories—-now I can play them both.”

His key race was the eighth at Belmont, when Dancingwithdaffodls came from off the pace in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming race and won by a half-length, paying $46.20. “I had a decent shot at pulling an upset at a big price, said Wang. “Fortunately, “I got lucky,” and added, “I love playing in the NHC finals and I hope I can use my two entries to double the fun and maybe some big money.”

Kirk Tesar of Ankeny, IA, has qualified for his fifth NHC.

Lone Star Park, Saturday, 7/10/21

Thomas Goldsmith of Montgomery, Texas won the 2020 NHC. He has now qualified for his fourth Championship appearance.

Mark Simonovich of Richardson, TX, has qualified for his third NHC.

Ellen Patrick-Leavell of Irving, TX, has qualified for her seventh NHC. In last weekend's Lone Star Summer Challenge tournament, Ellen needed a strong comeback and saw a horse named Streak of Silver in the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity that “jumped out at me that was going off at 17-1.” Ellen wagered $100WP and Streak of Silver broke on top as was never headed; paying Ellen $2,510 and “skyrocketing me from 32nd to second place.” She played it safe for the last two races and wound up finishing third overall in the Summer Challenge, and earned a NHC seat in 2022.

An NHC Mentor, Ellen's major career was the time she became the first female to win a Last Chance/First Chance tournament, which was held in January 2017 – earning $22,165 ― at Treasure Island in Las Vegas. Ellen qualified for her first NHC in 2008 and played in the January 2009 Championship at Red Rock Resort.

George Brant of Ft. Worth, TX, has qualified for this second NHC.

Belmont Derby Day Challenge NYRA Bets Saturday, July 10, 2021

James Herthum of Whitesboro, NY, has qualified for his first NHC

Ellis Starr of Lexington, KY, is a first-time NHC qualifier, who is the National Racing Analyst for Equibase, and writes regularly for the site, and for America's Best Racing, covering the major races and handicapping challenges around the country.

To qualify last week, Starr nailed a $100 exacta on European runners Bolshoi Ballet and Tokyo Gold in the Belmont Derby Invitational, which returned $1,940 and placed him in the top 10. In Belmont's following race, he wagering $1,000 on Fox Ranger to win and cashed for $2,550, and an NHC 2022 slot.

“Having tried to qualify for many years, I feel lucky and honored to have joined the ranks of so many great handicappers who participate in the NHC annually,” said Starr, who began attending the Southern California tracks when he was about eight years old.

Horsetourneys.com Sunday, 7/11/21

Craig Hom of San Francisco has qualified for his 12th NHC. He grew up playing the Dollar Fridays at Bay Meadows. Hom hit five winners in 12 races, all at around 5-1. His biggest winner paid $18.10. “Often times the difference in a contest isn't by 'such and such' dollars but they flip on the whisker of a photo finish.”

Hom is looking forward to returning to Las Vegas. “After a year like 2020, (I'm) really excited to be back in a big room with fellow horseplayers. Have made a lot of good friends through these on site contests. Feels great to qualify again. Never take it for granted. It's definitely not easy.”

Michael Kiatipis of Toronto, has qualified for his second NHC.

Click here for the full NHC Leaderboard

Click here for upcoming NHC qualifiers

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Tracks Set for 2021 National Horseplayers Championship

A total of seven North American tracks have been selected for the 2021 NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), to be held Aug. 27-29. All mandatory and optional races will be from Del Mar, Ellis Park, Golden Gate Fields, Gulfstream Park, Monmouth Park, Saratoga Race Course, or Woodbine Racetrack. The NHC is the world's richest and most prestigious handicapping tournament.

“The menu of racetracks represents the best possible mix of quality racing and geographical diversity,” said NTRA COO and NHC tournament director Keith Chamblin. “Del Mar and Saratoga, which on Saturday, Aug. 27, will feature six Grade I events headed by the Runhappy Travers Stakes, highlight the racing, but it will be great to introduce Ellis Park, Monmouth Park, and Woodbine to NHC contest play.”

More than 600 horseplayers have entered this year's NHC, which will feature nearly $3.8 million in cash and prizes. The three-day NHC requires players to make mythical $2 win and place wagers on eight mandatory races and 10 optional races on each of the first two days, with semi-finals and finals following. The winner will receive $800,000 and an Eclipse Award as the Horseplayer of the Year.

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Seven Racetracks Selected For 2021 National Horseplayers Championship

Seven North American racetracks, including premier summer-time race meetings Del Mar, Saratoga and Monmouth Park, make up a menu from which all mandatory and optional races will be selected when the world's richest and most prestigious handicapping tournament – the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), presented by Racetrack Television Network, Caesars Entertainment and Bally's Las Vegas – is contested Aug. 27-29. The official NHC 2021 racetracks are Del Mar, Ellis Park, Golden Gate Fields, Gulfstream Park, Monmouth Park, Saratoga Race Course and Woodbine Racetrack.

This year's NHC, which includes more than 600 entries, was originally scheduled to be held February 9-11, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and was rescheduled for late August. The total cash and prizes to be awarded at the 2021 NHC are estimated to be nearly $3.8 million, including an estimated $3 million in prize money.

“The menu of racetracks represents the best possible mix of quality racing and geographical diversity,” said NTRA Chief Operating Officer and NHC Tournament Director Keith Chamblin. “Del Mar and Saratoga, which on Saturday, Aug. 27, will feature six Grade 1 events headed by the Runhappy Travers Stakes, highlight the racing, but it will be great to introduce Ellis Park, Monmouth Park and Woodbine to NHC contest play.”

The three-day NHC requires players to make mythical $2 win and place wagers on eight mandatory races and 10 optional races on each of the first two days. The top 10 percent of players achieving the highest bankroll at the conclusion of the first two days will advance to Sunday morning's Semi-Final round which will consist of 10 optional plays. The top 10 players following the Semi-Final round will advance to Sunday's Final Table where they will compete in seven mandatory races to determine the National Champion. The winner will receive $800,000 and an Eclipse Award as the Horseplayer of the Year.

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 buy-ins to the NHC. Each year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards. The NHC is presented by Racetrack Television Network, Caesars Entertainment and Bally's Las Vegas.

For more information on the NHC Tour and a complete contest schedule, visit NTRA.com/nhc.

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