Jack Coady, Jr.

Prairie Meadows' June tournament winner Mark Brumm and runner-up Suzanne Nadermann both qualified for the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship V in Las Vegas.

Brumm, a native of Mason City Iowa who now works for a life insurance company in Des Moines, compiled a contest-winning bankroll of $123.60 based on mythical $2 win and $2 place bets on a total of 15 live and simulcast races during the one-day event. Entry fee for the contest was $50, and all money was returned to the top 10 finishers in the form of prize money. Total purse for the event was $4,150.

"I don't believe it," said Brumm, who credits Daily Racing Form jockey/trainer percentages and Beyer speed figures for his success, "I almost didn't send in my entry because I thought I don't have a chance against these [professionals]."

The Prairie Meadows handicapping field included former national champion Handicapper of the Year (2000) Steven Walker from Lincoln, Nebraska, as well as former National Handicapping Championship qualifiers Dustin Dooley, Tom Dougherty, and Dave Gutfreund.

Brumm was $12.40 better than runner-up Suzanne Nadermann of Ankeny, Iowa, who finished second with a bankroll of $111.20. Nadermann, a technical support specialist for the Iowa Medical Society, earned $830 in prize money and also qualified for the National Handicapping Championship.

Prairie Meadows will offer two more National Handicapping Championship qualifying spots in its next tournament, which is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6.