The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and Daily Racing Form
(DRF) announced Thursday the 2009 year-long schedule of qualifying events
for the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC) which carries
an estimated total purse of $1 million. The schedule, which is subject to
changes and additions, is comprised of 101 events hosted at 42 different
racetracks, off-track wagering facilities, websites and casinos. Competitions
are scheduled to take place through late December. A full list of NHC qualifying
dates and venues can be viewed at
www.ntra.com/nhctour. Approximately 300 NHC qualifying berths will be
available via the qualifiers and the NHC Tour.
From March through November,
Twinspires.com will
offer spots in its second annual Leaderboard competition. Six players who top
the Twinspires.com Leaderboard competition will
earn a berth in the NHC as well as points per the NHC Tour point structure. A
total of 15 spots will also be up for grabs in the Twinspires.com Biggest Vegas
Qualifier Ever, which is set for November 21.
Registrations for the 2009 NHC Tour, a year-long bonus series, are being
accepted at www.ntra.com/nhctour. The
registration fee is $125. The NHC Tour offers additional prize money and
qualifying berths to the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC). The
NHC Tour is open only to officially registered contestants and will be based on
performances at NHC qualifying events throughout the year.
For the first time, the top five 2009 NHC Tour point scorers will now receive
automatic entry into NHC XII, which will be held in January 2011 in Las Vegas.
Berths for NHC XI in January 2010 will now be awarded to the top six 2009 NHC
Tour point scorers who have not otherwise qualified for NHC XI.
The official kick-off to the 2009 NHC Tour season took place at the inaugural
Red Rock Shootout on January 25 at Red Rock Resort, Casino and Spa in Las Vegas,
where the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship will be held for a third
consecutive year on January 23-24, 2010.
“The 2008 NHC Tour year attracted more than 900 participants, and this year
we hope to attract at least 1,000,” said Keith Chamblin, senior vice president
for the NTRA. “We’ve made several improvements based on feedback from our
players, and we believe the Tour’s new format for awarding NHC berths will do an
even better job of rewarding our top finishers.”
In just its 11th year, the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship
has become 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.