O’Neil on top heading into final day of NHC

John O’Neil led heading into the final day of the NHC (HorsePhotos/NTRA)

John O’Neil of Huntington Station, New York, was on top with a $253 bankroll
after Day 2 of the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC)
on Saturday.

The highest score on Day 2 went to Lawrence Kahlden, who started the
day with zero but rallied to sixth overall just on his Saturday total of $193.60
to earn a $5,000 bonus, as well as paid Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge entry
fees, live bankrolls, airfare and hotel worth in excess of $10,000.

Jonathon Kinchen, a 31-year-old realtor from Austin, Texas,
landed in the top 10 with both of his entries. He entered Sunday in third with $217.40 and
eighth with $189. One of his entries was a late replacement for the late Ron Rippey, the 2006 NHC winner and inaugural inductee to the NHC Hall of Fame.

Jonathon Kinchen entered Day 3 with two entries in the top 10 (HorsePhotos/NTRA)

The top 50 players carried their bankrolls over to the
Final 50 tournament Sunday morning and the resulting top 10 will play at the
Final Table Sunday afternoon to determine the ultimate placings, including the
$800,000 grand prize and Eclipse Award as Horseplayer of the Year.

Among the Final 50 are three former NHC winners: Brian
Troop ($162), Michael Beychok ($158.80) and John Conte ($156.60). Nobody has
ever won the NHC twice.

The Top 50 finishers are guaranteed a $10,000 prize at the
end of Sunday. The $2,215,000 prize pool for the Final 50 starts with $10,000
for 50th place and increases to the $800,000 grand prize for first place. The
top four finishers will take home six figures, with $250,000 to second, $125,000
to third and $100,000 to fourth.

Players
outside the Final 50 will compete in a separate $65,000 Consolation Tournament
on Sunday with reset mythical bankrolls.

The Final 50 Contest will be comprised of 10 optional
races. The 10 that make it to the Final Table will all play the same seven
mandatory races.

To get to this point, the 606 NHC entrants (521 individual
players) were required to place 30 mythical $2 Win and Place wagers — 15 on
Friday and 15 on Saturday.