For David Nichols, the last time was the charm on DRF Tournaments.Nichols won his way into Sunday’s big-money, last-chance contest by virtue of handling the most money during the qualifying process for the World Horseplayers’ Tour Santa Anita Preakness contest. This was a new promotional idea conceived by the WHT and DRF Tournaments to reward the player who spent the most money trying to qualify with a last-chance opportunity.“When I heard about the handle contest I thought I was going to win a free hat or a tote bag or something like that,” Nichols said. “I never imagined the prize would be a $1,090 entry into a qualifier. It was a great opportunity and I’m glad I didn’t waste it.”In Snday’s big-money qualifier he collected in five races and just hung on to win his $5,000 spot in this weekend’s money-added event that will be filmed for a TV pilot. This was one of the aspects that appealed most to Nichols, 40, who describes his current profession as a handicapper/computer programmer in-training.“Over the last few years, it’s felt like handicapping was following in the footsteps of tournament poker,” he said. “The [National Horseplayers Championship] has a final table. This event has a final table. This event even has a re-buy [opportunity] on day one and blinds on day two!”By “blinds,” he’s referring to the escalating minimum bets at the final table, which will rise throughout the day like blinds in a poker tournament.“I’ve always felt that a handicapping contest would make good TV if done right,” he said. As with many players, the camaraderie of contests is a significant part of the fun for Nichols. His buddy Ernest Hey also qualified. “I haven’t gotten to see him since playing in the Keeneland contest with him last fall,” he said. “He was in the [Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge], but I wasn’t. I was in the NHC, but he wasn’t. He played Keeneland’s spring contest, but I had a conflict that weekend so I didn’t attempt to qualify for that one. If I don’t make it to the final table, then I hope I’ll get to watch Ernie win the top prize.”The WHT/SA tournament features an atypical structure, with a fairly typical live-bankroll format on Saturday, and a mythical-money live-bank format at the final table on Sunday. “I was just intrigued by the structure of this tournament,” Nichols said. “The format on day one is completely different from the format on day two and should lead to some interesting strategies. And I’m just as fascinated by the different strategies people employ as I am about their handicapping angles.”Nichols is a native of Rensselaer, N.Y., about 30 miles south of Saratoga Springs, and he’s been going to the track for three decades. “Everyone in that area is drawn to Saratoga during the summer, so I went with my family when I was young and have been hooked ever since,” he said. “I live just outside of Philadelphia now, but I go to Opening Day at Saratoga every year. You can always find me by the eighth pole sitting on one of the benches near the rail.”He started in handicapping tournaments six years ago. “I’ve had very little success in live tournaments, but I’ve done okay online,” he said.That could all change this weekend at Santa Anita. “I’m definitely excited about next weekend’s contest,” he said. “I didn’t play many live contests last year and one of my goals this year was to qualify for a bunch of them this year. This is the second big live event that I have qualified for so far this year, so I’m hoping to keep the momentum going for the rest of 2018.”