Hoofprints

Shilo Merwitz of Randalstown, Maryland won the Delaware Park Handicapping Tournament and qualified for the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship V in Las Vegas.

The one-day event featured real-money betting and cost $100 to enter. All entry fees were returned to the top 50 finishers in the form of prize money making the total purse of the event $48,700. All players supplied thir own $200 cash bankroll, which could be wagered on win, place, or show bets at a variety of tracks. Since all bets are real money, all contestants got to keep their final contest bankrolls.

Merwitz compiled a contest-winning total of $2,365 in earnings to beat runner-up David Linker who finished second with $1,953. In addition to his winnings, Linker, from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, earned $8,250 in prize money and also qualified for NHC V in Las Vegas. It was another $73.50 back to third-place finisher Dennis Hancock who earned a $5,500 third-prize on top of his $1,880 bankroll.

Delaware Park will award the last two of its four total NHC V qualifying spots to the top finishers in its next tournament scheduled for Oct. 4. Another large field is expected.