Mike Labriola
Home: Richmond, Cal.
Age: 52
Occupation: Workers compensation administrator.
Road to the Finals: Finished fourth in the Reno Hilton Winter Challenge on Feb. 6-8.
Bio: Playing in his third National Handicapping Championship. Finished 93rd in NHC IV after qualifying at Autotote's Bradley Teletheater, and finished 140th in NHC II after qualifying at Fairplex. Labriola has been playing in handicapping contests since the dawn of the tournament era. During this twenty-year period he has garnished seven victories in major events, an accomplishment unmatched by any single individual. He was among the first players to employ an approach that featured primarily longshot picks as a tool for winning tournaments. However, he is not strictly a mad bomber. The multiple consistency trophies in his award chest are a testament to his versatility and adaptability, two commonly overlooked and much-needed skills in the tournament arena. Mike is also widely recognized as one of the tour's best spokesmen. As a public speaker, he presented the inaugural seminar on tournaments at the 2000 Horseplayers Expo. As a writer, he has authored numerous articles about his tournament experiences that have included practical advice on how to strategize for events. His 1999 fiction piece, Sacred Acres, appeared in The Horseplayer Magazine and received considerable critical acclaim. He has also appeared regularly on various nationwide radio shows that feature racing as their central theme. Labriola lives in Northern California with his wife Donna and two young sons, Terrance and Gerard.
Photo: Sports Haven