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Kevin Costello Captures 2021 NHC Title

Joseph (Kevin) Costello, a 53-year-old executive from Chicago, IL, 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.

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.

The post Kevin Costello Captures 2021 NHC Title appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Last Race Longshot Propels John Fisher To NHC Qualifier Win

Florida-based handicapper John Fisher was all but tapped out and ready to leave Hialeah Park's Champions Simulcast Center & Sports Bar late Sunday afternoon.

He was down to $100 from his total of five entries in the second-ever National Horseplayers Championship qualifying tournament staged at this iconic South Florida landmark.

Fisher bet his last money all to win on 22-1 longshot Cryptic Creed in the 10th race at Gulfstream Park. Less than two minutes later, jockey Jesus Rios guided the two-year-old maiden to a facile victory over the all-weather surface, producing a $45.40 payout that vaulted Fisher to victory over runner-up Phil Matzat and third-place finisher Ray Arsenault.

“I had packed up and I was at the door,” Fisher recalled. “I heard a big commotion from the tournament room and '10, it's the 10!' from the other handicappers. That was Cryptic Creed!”

The big payoff gave Fisher a total of $2,400 in tournament earnings, some $900 better than Matzat's $1,500, and almost $1,500 more than Arsenault's $908.

The champion collected $4,000 in prize money, with Matzat garnering $2,600 for second and Arsenault claiming $1,600 for third.

The top two finishers both earned seats in the National Horseplayers Championship finals at Bally's Las Vegas on Jan. 28-30, 2022, including hotel and airfare.

“I'll be there,” added Fisher. “I've been to 10 finals and I'm just as excited to go back for the 11th time! Champions was a great spot for the event. The staff treated us in a friendly and professional manner, and they fed us well!”

Overall, 46 handicappers purchased a total of 64 entries in the tournament and the Hialeah Park mutuel office reported a 74% handle increase over the average Sunday.

Champions Simulcast Center & Sports Bar, opened as “the go-to location” in South Florida for full-card simulcast wagering on Thoroughbred races in early 2016, features 180 television screens, 78 betting carrels (each with a 19-inch video monitor), 42 wagering windows, and space for 200 horseplayers complemented by an aggressive menu of simulcast wagering options.

The post Last Race Longshot Propels John Fisher To NHC Qualifier Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Champions Simulcast Center At Hialeah Park Set To Host Second NHC Qualifier

Hialeah Park's Champions Simulcast Center & Sports Bar, opened as “the go-to location” in South Florida for full-card simulcast wagering on Thoroughbred races in early 2016, is set to host a National Horseplayers Championship qualifying tournament on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021.

It will be the second time an NHC qualifier has been held at Champions. In January of 2020, over 50 handicappers participated in the first such event ever staged at Hialeah Park, with Evan Freedman prevailing as the winner.

Handicappers can purchase their entries for the Dec. 12 NHC qualifier by visiting the Hialeah Park web site at www.hialeahpark.com. Walk-up entries will be accepted on the day of the tournament.

Scheduled as a points event on the 2021 NHC docket, the grand prizes will be seats for the top two finishers in the National Horseplayers Championship finals at Bally's Las Vegas on Jan. 28-30, 2022, including hotel and airfare.

Under rules established by the National Horseplayers Championship, participants in the Hialeah Park tournament must be 2021 tour members to earn a seat in the 2022 finals.

The $500 entry fee for current NHC tour members will cover a $300 live bankroll for wagering on designated races at Gulfstream Park and Aqueduct, and $125 for cash prizes.

The remainder of the entry fee will cover a buffet lunch, programs for designated races, and Hialeah Park swag.

The prize money pool, determined by the total number of entries, will be awarded on site at the conclusion of the tournament, with 50% going to the winner, 30% to the runner-up, and 20% to the third-place finisher.

Only current National Horseplayers Championship tour members will be eligible to win the grand prizes. The event will also be open to non-members and they will be eligible to win the cash prizes.

As an incentive, the NHC will offer first-time tour members $25 off the regular $50 membership fee if they register for the Hialeah Park qualifier and submit a $525 entry fee.

Champions features 180 television screens, 78 betting carrels (each with a 19-inch video monitor), 42 wagering windows, and space for 200 horseplayers complemented by an aggressive menu of simulcast wagering options.

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Kevin Harrell Captures Aqueduct Pick 6 To Earn NHC Berth In Indiana Grand Qualifier

Kevin Harrell of Marion, Ind. topped a field of 135 entries in the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) Qualifier held at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino Saturday, Dec. 4. Harrell completed the contest with a bankroll of $2,851.75 in his win.

“I hit the Pick 6 at Aqueduct and that's what put me in the lead,” said Harrell, who is in software sales for health care. “After that, I only made one bet just in case someone came in later and took me off the top.”

Harrell plays in the NHC annually and received a trip to the NHC Finals set for Bally's in Las Vegas Jan. 28 – 30, 2022. The win at Indiana Grand was his second seat, so he has a double shot at a share of the $2.7 million in prize money for the final. This year will mark the fourth time Harrell has qualified for the NHC Final.

In addition to advancing, Harrell received $4,000 in prize money along with a $500 travel stipend to Vegas. By winning the Indiana Grand tournament, his hotel and entry fees for the finals are covered.

The top four advanced to the NHC Finals from the Indiana Grand Qualifier. Also heading to Vegas will be Rich Pawlowski of Pennsylvania, who won $3,000 for second place with a bankroll of $2,707.50; Greg Gass of Zionsville, Ind. who won $2,000 for third place with a bankroll of $1,766.00; and Steven Simonovic of Wisconsin who won $1,000 for fourth place with a bankroll of $1,483. All players received an additional $500 for travel to Vegas along with hotel and tournament fees paid by Indiana Grand.

“I've qualified in the past, but this is my first seat this year,” said Pawlowski. “I actually started out with two entries and at the last minute, went up and bought a third one before the deadline. That third one is the one that got me into second.”

Gass, who is a regular player in the NHC Qualifiers at Indiana Grand, adds his seat in the final to a previously earned seat for the 2022 event. He only played on one account to advance. This will be his second season advancing to the NHC Final.

Simonovic traveled by car all the way from Wisconsin with hopes of picking up a seat for the final. The event in January will be his sixth time qualifying for the final and he will also have two seats to play when the event kicks off at Las Vegas in January.

Of the 135 entries for the NHC Qualifier at Indiana Grand, players came in from 19 states for the tournament, which was a $500 live money event. The contest included races from 11 different racetracks featuring more than 90 races as options in the contest format.

The 20th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is set to resume Tuesday, April 19 and run through Wednesday, Nov. 23. Racing will be held Monday through Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. with Thursday racing beginning at 3:30 p.m. A total of 12 Saturday racing programs will be held in 2022. For more information on events and racing, go to www.indianagrand.com.

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