Michelson wins National Handicapping Championship

Michelson wins National Handicapping
Championship

James Michelson Jr. became the 2005 Handicapper of the Year on Saturday (Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com) James Michelson Jr. earned the title of 2005 Handicapper of the Year on Saturday when he won the sixth annual Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship (NHC) at Bally’s racebook in Las Vegas. Michelson, who is a member of Brisnet, qualified for this year’s tournament by finishing first in the Youbet contest on August 21. The 38-year-old received the $200,000 grand prize for bankrolling $240.40 during the two days of play. Michelson, who is an advertising account director in West Bloomfield, Michigan, became interested in horseracing when his family went to Saratoga with the Wolfson family. Steve Wolfson Jr. was named Handicapper of the Year in 2003 after taking the championship. Michael Conway, a member of the Twin Spires Club team, took the $75,000 second-place prize for totaling $208.80 in his bankroll. Michael Elsass, part of Churchill Downs #2 team, rounded out the top three with $205.40 in his bankroll, earning $30,000 for third-place. Charlie Messina received $17,400 for fourth while Damian Roncevich finished fifth in the standings to earn $10,000. Richard Gaetano and David Kassmier tied for seventh and were followed in the standings by Don Sullivan and Calvin Manns. Each earned $5,000 to complete the top 10.

Those who tallied the largest bankroll on Saturday also received
prizes. Chester Victor Jr. took the $5,000 first prize for bankrolling
$117 while Michael Elsass was rewarded with $3,000 for falling just $2
short of Victor. Justin Carey received $2,000 for his $108.60 bankroll
on Saturday.

In the team standings, Twin Spires took home the top prize of $15,000 for
compiling $147.20. The Twin Spires team was made up of Jason Tudor of Fairdale,
Kentucky, Bill McAninch of Chicago, and Conway, who is from Glencoe, Illinois.

Brisnet customers dominated the leaderboard throughout the two-day
competition. A total of 214 contestants qualified for this year’s championship
through 57 different racetracks, racing organizations, OTBs, casinos and
websites.

The grand prize for this year’s NHC was increased to $200,000 for
the winner, with a total of $412,400 given away during the two-day
tournament. Emphasis was placed on individual prizes, which was paid out to the top 20 finishers instead of the just the top
10. Those who finished 11th through 20th each received $2,000. Team purse money
changed to winner-take-all.

The championship format gave players 15 mythical $2 win-and-place
wagers on each day of the contest, with eight of the 15 daily bets being
on mandatory races and the other seven up to the players’ choices from
several tracks.