Departments of Homeland Security, Labor Adding 20,000 H-2B Visas

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) have agreed to offer 20,000 additional H-2B visas to employers for positions starting on or before March 31, 2022. These visas are used by employers, such as racehorse trainers, who seek seasonal guest workers.

“This addition of H-2B visas is helpful for the horse racing industry, as we continue to see high demand for workers by employers,” said NTRA president and CEO Tom Rooney. “At the same time, the NTRA supports relief from the burdensome annual H-2B visa cap to enable affected employers to stabilize their businesses through a permanent returning worker exemption. We urge both departments to permanently reform the program.”

DHS is also providing additional flexibilities to H-2B petitioners under its general programmatic authority by allowing nonimmigrant workers in the United States in valid H-2B status and who are beneficiaries of non-frivolous H-2B, to begin work with a new employer after an H-2B petition is filed and before the petition is approved, generally for a period of up to 60 days. This provision clarifies portability eligibility for beneficiaries of pending petitions.

Of these additional 20,000 visas, 6,500 are reserved for nationals of the Northern Triangle countries of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala and 13,500 for returning workers.

The H-2B visa guest worker program is a nonimmigrant visa program used by many industries that need temporary non-agricultural help when domestic workers are unavailable. For the horse racing industry, trainers rely heavily on the H-2B program to fill various backside positions.

For more information, view the temporary final rule in the Federal Register.

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$3.5 Million In Cash And Prizes Up For Grabs In National Horseplayers Championship

The 23rd NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) presented by Racetrack Television Network, Caesars Entertainment, and Bally's Las Vegas kicks off Friday in Las Vegas, Nev., with over 500 horseplayers from across the continent competing for more than $3.5 million in cash and prizes, including $725,000 to the winner.

Competitors range from professional gamblers analyzing every angle looking for a giant payday to deer-in-the-headlights rookies happy just to be here. All of them have one thing in common; there are no buy-ins at the NHC, thus everyone has earned their way into the prestigious event by qualifying in an NTRA-sanctioned qualifying contest held during the previous 12 months.

The contest runs Friday to Sunday at Bally's Las Vegas.

The NHC is the richest and most prestigious handicapping contest in the world. In addition to its unequaled cash prize the winner earns an Eclipse Award and the title of “Horseplayer of the Year.”

The NHC cash prize pool of $2,339,550 will be paid out to the top 10%, which means the top 64 finishers from a field of 643 entries will get a check of at least $10,000. The field comprises 509 individuals, 134 of whom are “double-qualified” with the maximum of two entries. A portion of the cash prize pool also goes to $50,000 in prizes for the Consolation Tournament open to the remaining 90% of players who do not make the cut after Day 2, as well as to three Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge entries worth $10,000 apiece. The cash prize scale boasts six-figure checks for the top four – $725,000 to the winner, $200,000 for second, $150,000 for third, and $100,000 for fourth. The top 10 that make up the Caesars Race and Sportsbook Final Table, Presented by Global Tote, a BetMakers Company, are guaranteed at least $50,000.

All qualifiers earned at least four nights at Bally's Las Vegas (rebranded this week Horseshoe Las Vegas as part of a multi-million dollar rebrand and renovation) and virtually everyone received travel stipends. NHC Tour prizes from 2021 NHC qualifiers account for another $355,500 to be officially awarded at Sunday night's annual Champions Dinner.

The NHC field will be reduced to the top 10 percent of players after the first two days. The highest 10 cumulative scores after the Semifinals round on Sunday morning will fill out the Final Table. Bankrolls amassed during Day 1, Day 2 and the Semifinals round will roll over to the Final Table, with the 10 finalists settling the NHC score in seven “mandatory” assigned races.

This year's track menu for mandatory and optional races comprises Aqueduct, Fair Grounds, Golden Gate Fields, Gulfstream Park, Laurel Park, Oaklawn Park, Santa Anita Park, and Tampa Bay Downs. Sunday's stakes-laden Houston Racing Festival card at Sam Houston Race Park will be eligible only for Final Table play.

“Interest in the NHC and NHC Tour has never been stronger,” said Keith Chamblin, NTRA chief operating officer and NHC tournament director. “We're so appreciative of the team at Bally's, our partners who hosted qualifiers in 2021, the NTRA staff, and, of course, horseplayers for all their support that makes the NHC a better experience every year.”

Players who do not make the Semifinals cut will still compete on Day 3, in a separate $50,000 Consolation Tournament.

A full scoreboard will be updated regularly at ntra.com/nhc, where fans and players can also find each day's contest race menu and news updates.

At the Races with Steve Byk will broadcast live on SiriusXM satellite radio (Sirius 219; XM 201) from Bally's and online at www.stevebyk.com daily, from 9-12 a.m. ET/6-9 a .m. PT on Friday and Monday, with bonus NHC coverage at www.SteveByk.com/listen-live-SiriusXM slated for 2-8 p.m. ET/11 a.m.-5 p.m. PT) Friday-Sunday. TVG will be reporting from Las Vegas throughout the event. Additional news and exclusive content will be shared on Twitter via the official NTRA account, @NTRA.

The NHC field is led by defending NHC champion Justin Mustari, who in 2021 at age 26 became the youngest NHC champion in the event's history.

As the 2021 NHC winner, Mustari received an automatic berth into this year's tournament to defend the title he won only six months ago, when the 2021 NHC was held in late summer due to a COVID postponement. Mustari amassed a winning bankroll of $370.80 over the three-day tournament from 52 mythical $2 Win and Place bets. He will seek to become the first-ever two-time winner of the NHC, as will nine other past winners that have qualified. The other qualifying champions are Thomas Goldsmith (2020), Scott Coles (2019), Chris Littlemore (2018), Ray Arsenault (2017), Jose Arias (2014), Michael Beychok (2012), Stanley Bavlish (2007), Steve Wolfson, Jr. (2003), and Judy Wagner (2001).

As the winner of the 2021 NHC Tour, Joseph (Kevin) Costello won $100,000 and an NHC berth. He is eligible for a $5 million bonus if he goes on to win at the 2022 NHC finals.

In its 23rd 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. NHC players qualified via contests hosted by 34 racetracks, casino race books, handicapping contest websites, Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) platforms, simulcast distribution networks, horse owner associations, media outlets, and other Thoroughbred racing organizations.

The #NHC2022 qualifier hosts were: Aqueduct, At the Races with Steve Byk, Bally's Las Vegas, Belmont Park, Breeders' Cup, Canterbury Park, Colonial Downs, Del Mar, Gulfstream Park, Hawthorne, Hialeah, Horseplayers.com, Horsetourneys.com, Indiana Grand, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs, Little Red Feather, Lone Star Park, Los Alamitos, Meadowlands, Monmouth Park, NTRA, NYRA Bets, South Florida HBPA, Santa Anita, Saratoga, Sport of Kings, Race Lens, Tampa Bay Downs, The Big One, TourneyBets, Treasure Island, TVG, and Xpressbet.

The tournament format for the NHC is meant to be the best possible test of overall handicapping ability. Players attempt to earn the highest possible bankroll based on mythical $2 Win and Place wagers. Assigned “mandatory” races – eight per day on Day 1 and Day 2, and seven at the Final Table – are announced at least 36 hours prior to each contest day via direct e-mail to players and publicly on Twitter (@NTRA) and NTRA.com. The Mandatory Race Selection Committee is comprised of Steve Alford of William Hill, Jim Mulvihill of the Colorado Horse Racing Association, Brian Skirka of Monmouth Park and Eric Wing of HorseTourneys.com

The remaining 10 races on Day 1 and Day 2 and all 10 plays in the Semifinals round will be optional wagers on races at one of the seven designated tournament tracks.

On Saturday, the NTRA also will host an invitation-only online tournament, the 8th Annual NTRA NHC Charity Challenge presented by Four Roses Bourbon. A field of approximately 75 will compete for the $5,000 charitable prize with $2,500 set to be donated in the winner's name to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and the other $2,500 going to the winner's charity of choice.

In addition to its three presenting sponsors―RTN, Caesars Entertainment, and Bally's Las Vegas―the NHC is supported by official partners Daily Racing Form, EquinEdge, FanDuel Group, Four Roses Bourbon, NYRA Bets, Race Lens, TVG, and 1/ST Bet. The Final Table, where only the top 10 players advance to determine final placings based on seven climactic races, is sponsored by Caesars Sportsbook and Global Tote, A BetMakers Company.

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. For more information on the NHC, visit NTRA.com/nhc.

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Earle Mack To Receive Eclipse Award Of Merit For Lifetime Achievement

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters (NTWAB) announced today that the honorable Earle I. Mack, who has burnished a remarkable career serving his country and the Thoroughbred industry through racing, breeding and philanthropic causes, has been selected to receive the Eclipse Award of Merit in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding achievement.

Mack, 83, will receive the Award of Merit at the 51st annual Eclipse Awards ceremony, honoring racing's champions of 2021 on Thursday, Feb. 10 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Winners in 17 horse and human categories will be announced at Santa Anita and live on TVG, and other outlets, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The evening will culminate with the announcement of the 2021 Horse of the Year.

Eclipse Awards tickets and information on the awards show, dinner and party is available at the NTRA website https://www.ntra.com/eclipse-awards/.

Ambassador Mack, from Florida, has enjoyed a career of varied accomplishments in business, government, the military, the arts, and Thoroughbred racing. He served as the United States Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Finland in 2004 and 2005 under President George W. Bush.

Ambassador Mack served in the U.S. Army Infantry as a Second Lieutenant while on active duty, and as a First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Infantry and Military Police.

Ambassador Mack has been breeding and racing Thoroughbreds since 1963, and has bred or raced 25 stakes winners, including 1993 Canadian Triple Crown winner Peteski, 2002 Brazilian Triple Crown winner Roxinho, November Snow and Mr. Light. He has also served the industry through his participation on numerous endeavors. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for the New York Racing Association (1990–2004), Chairman of the New York State Racing Commission (1983–1989), Member of the New York State Thoroughbred Racing Capital Investment Fund (1987–1996) and a Member, Board of Directors, of the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund Corp. (1983–1989). He served as Senior Advisor on Racing and Breeding in New York State for the Thoroughbred Industry to Governors Mario M. Cuomo and George E. Pataki. The Earle I. Mack Thoroughbred Champion Award has been presented annually since 2011 to an individual for outstanding efforts and influence on Thoroughbred racehorse welfare, safety, and retirement.

“This is a distinct honor. Since college I have devoted my life to the equine industry. I love the horse. I love our veterans who have fought hard for the survival of our freedoms and the democracy we embrace as Americans. I am grateful for and would like to give special thanks to the NTRA and the Eclipse selection committee for this special recognition,” said Mack. “I am also immensely grateful to those in the industry who have supported my vision for the Man O' War Project, most especially The Jockey Club.

“The health, safety and welfare of our horses and the integrity of our sport have been at the center of my advocacy over the years. I'm very heartened by the new HISA legislation which will most certainly inure to the greater good of our industry.”

Ambassador Mack has been a long-time supporter of numerous equine charities, including the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and the Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation, and has inspired others to do good works through his establishment of the Ogden “Dinny” Phipps Award, given annually to someone who has performed meritorious service to racing.

Mack's most recent cause, as founder of The Man O' War Project, has allowed him to combine his interest and passion for military veterans and retired racehorses. The focus of the project is to search and discover effective treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in wartime veterans. The Man O' War Project team is comprised of researchers from the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute (Columbia University Irving Medical Center) with expertise in PTSD, assessment, development and testing of psychotherapeutic treatments, namely Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT), which is a widely used alternative treatment for many people struggling with mental health and life problems, including veterans.

The initial goal of the Man O' War Project (MOW) was to examine the effectiveness of EAT for military veterans and military personnel with PTSD. Ambassador Mack approached his friend, David Shaffer, MD, and soon a team was formed at Columbia led by Dr. Prudence Fisher and Dr. Yuval Neria. The project was the first-ever university-led research study to examine the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy in treating veterans with PTSD. The promising clinical and MRI results have been published in three highly regarded medical journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Building on the success of the study, the Man O' War Center at Columbia University is under development with the mission to train others in the EAT field in the Man O' War protocol, expand access to the therapy for veterans, and adapt the protocol for children and adolescents.

“Ambassador Mack's contributions to the Thoroughbred industry go well beyond his successful breeding and racing operations,” said James L. Gagliano, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Jockey Club. “His support of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, creation of the Dinny Phipps Award, and contributions to the Man O' War Project exemplify what the Eclipse Award of Merit represents, and he is well-deserving of it. We are honored to have him as a member of The Jockey Club.”

Among his many other endeavors, Ambassador Mack served on the board of directors of the New York City Ballet. He is also a former co-chairman of the board of the Dance Theater of Harlem and a former member of the New York Governor's Committee on Scholastic Achievement. He was chairman and CEO of the New York State Council of the Arts in New York from 1996 to 1999, being named Chairman Emeritus upon his retirement.

Ambassador Mack and his wife Carol have two children, Andrew and Schuyler.

The Eclipse Awards are sponsored by Roberts Communications, Four Roses Bourbon, Daily Racing Form, Breeders' Cup, FanDuel Group, The Stronach Group and 1/ST Racing, Santa Anita Park, TVG, Dean Dorton, Stonestreet Farm, Keeneland, Racetrack Television Network, Jackson Family Wines, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Hallway Feeds and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

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Bavlish, Beychok, Gallo, Gutfreund, And Matties To Be Inducted Into NHC Hall Of Fame

Stanley Bavlish, Michael Beychok, J. Randy Gallo, David Gutfreund, and Paul Matties Jr. have been selected for induction into the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship's Hall of Fame, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Tuesday. The five esteemed handicappers represent the eighth class of NHC Hall of Fame inductees and will be recognized during the NHC Champions Dinner on Sunday evening at the conclusion of the 22nd NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) Presented by Racetrack Television Network, Caesars Entertainment and Bally's Las Vegas.

Bavlish won the 2007 NHC and made the Final Table in 2016. Beychok won the 2012 NHC and is the event's all-time leading money earner. Gallo was one of the “founding fathers” of the NHC while also serving as a tournament host through his Bettor Racing OTB and a Final Table participant in 2019. Gutfreund won the 2018 NHC Tour, has qualified 15 times, and boasts two top-10 finishes. Matties won the 2016 NHC and has qualified 13 times.

More on 2022 NHC Hall of Fame Class

Bavlish, of Frederick, Md., has remained among the most consistent and respected contest players since he won the 2007 NHC in his first year of qualifying. A three-time finisher in the top 10 percent at the NHC, Bavlish finished ninth at the Final Table in 2016. He is the longtime owner of multiple Subway restaurants and director of the Independent Purchasing Cooperative for Subway franchisees. Bavlish is a 14-time NHC qualifier, a member of the NHC Players' Committee and an NHC Mentor.

“I am honored and humbled to be inducted into the NHC Hall of Fame,” said Bavlish. “I want to thank the NTRA for creating this event that I love. I also want to thank everyone that supported me with Hall of Fame votes.”

Beychok, of Baton Rouge, La., became the first and only person to win $1 million at the NHC in 2012 when Glorious Dancer scored a nose victory in the final race of the contest to give him a one-dollar advantage, a life-changing payday, and an Eclipse Award as Horseplayer of the Year. Beychok, who later claimed Glorious Dancer and retired her to a farm in Louisiana, is a strong advocate for racehorse aftercare as well as horseplayers. A political consultant who also contributes picks as a public handicapper for The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Beychok is the NHC's all-time leading money earner and a 12-time qualifier.

“I'm honored and humbled by this recognition,” said Beychok. “The NHC experience opened up new adventures and introduced me to lifelong friends. I'm proud to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Congratulations to a deserving class of inductees and thank you to all that voted for me and helped me earn this distinctive honor.”

Gallo, who passed away in November in Jupiter, Fla., at age 72, was not on this year's Hall of Fame ballot and instead was unanimously inducted by the NHC Players' Committee and the NTRA. A friend, mentor and advocate for all horseplayers and one of the founding fathers of the NHC, Gallo made the Final Table in 2019 and was a seven-time qualifier. The most well-known member of a horse-loving and gambling family synonymous with the NHC and contest play around the country, Gallo was a popular tournament host through his Bettor Racing OTB operation in South Dakota as well as a highly successful handicapper and gambler.

Said Gallo's brother, and fellow handicapping contest player, Ross Gallo: “On behalf of my brother Randy, I wish to sincerely thank everyone at the NTRA for inducting him into the Hall of Fame. I know he would've been honored and humbled to be recognized. He loved the NHC, but most of all he loved seeing all his friends and fellow handicappers. He felt the camaraderie was unparalleled anywhere else in our game.”

Gutfreund, of Chicago, Ill., is one of the most accomplished horseplayers in the history of the NHC. He captured the 2018 NHC Tour after winning five contests in less than six months. A 15-time qualifier, Gutfreund has two top 10 finishes at the NHC and has finished in the top 20 four times. Gutfreund, who once won $90,000 on a 20-cent multi-race wager, also is a highly skilled card player with more than $1 million in career poker earnings.

“What an amazing induction class to be a part of with three outstanding NHC Champions along with the legendary Randy Gallo,” said Gutfreund. “Congrats to Stan, Michael, and Paul. I am very appreciative of this recognition.”

Matties, of Ballston Spa, N.Y., is widely regarded as one of the nation's foremost handicappers. Part of a family deeply involved with horses and betting, Matties captured the 2016 NHC the same year his brother, Duke, finished fourth. He also won the $50,000 NHC Consolation in 2019. In addition to being a successful professional gambler, Matties is an original member of Beyer Associates, which produces speed figures for Daily Racing Form, a former Racing Times columnist, and founder of horseplayer services company NHPlays. Matties is a 13-time qualifier and formerly served on the NHC Players' Committee. The Matties brothers have combined to win hundreds of multi-race wagers at racetracks from coast-to-coast and can be found every summer in their favorite spot in the “backyard” at Saratoga.

“I want to thank everyone associated with the NHC and the NTRA,” said Matties. “I also want to thank Steve Crist and everyone at the Daily Racing Form and elsewhere who had the early vision of a national championship for horseplayers. Competing against the best handicappers in the world is the ultimate challenge and I will forever be proud of winning the NHC and the consolation tournament. To me, horseplayers are the smartest and toughest people in the world and to be recognized by them in their premier community is a tremendous honor.”

More on the NHC Hall of Fame

Bavlish, Beychok, Gallo, Gutfreund and Matties join 14 past Hall of Fame inductees: Ray Arsenault (2021), Roger Cettina (2020), Steve Crist (2016), Richard Goodall (2020), Sally Goodall (2021), Chris Larmey (2018), Mike Mayo (2015), Ron Rippey (2015), Paul Shurman (2017), Trey Stiles (2019), Bryan Wagner (2019), Judy Wagner (2016), Steve Wolfson Sr. (2017), and Steve Wolfson Jr. (2018).

Honorees were chosen by their peers. A total of 693 NHC Tour Members were eligible to vote and a total of 248 ballots were cast.

The main criteria for nomination to the NHC Hall of Fame are as follows:

  • Competed in NHC-sanctioned tournaments;
  • Played consistently well over an extended period of time;
  • Gained the respect of peers; and
  • Contributed to the overall growth and success of NHC tournament play, with indelible positive and lasting results.

The NTRA National Horseplayers Championship is presented by Racetrack Television Network, Caesars Entertainment and Bally's Las Vegas. The Final Table is sponsored by Caesars Sportsbook and Global Tote, A BetMakers Company. Official partners include 1/ST BET, Daily Racing Form, EquinEdge, FanDuel Group, Four Roses Bourbon, NYRA Bets, Race Lens and TVG.

Outlets that held qualifiers to the 2022 NHC included Aqueduct, At the Races with Steve Byk, Bally's Las Vegas, Belmont Park, Breeders' Cup, Canterbury Park, Colonial Downs, Del Mar, Gulfstream Park, Hawthorne, Hialeah, Horseplayers.com, Horsetourneys.com, Indiana Grand, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs, Little Red Feather, Lone Star Park, Los Alamitos, Meadowlands, Monmouth Park, NTRA, NYRA Bets, South Florida HBPA, Santa Anita, Saratoga, Sport of Kings, Race Lens, Tampa Bay Downs, The Big One, TourneyBets, Treasure Island, TVG, Xpressbet.

To sign up for the NHC Tour, go to www.ntra.com/membership.

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