Rich Nilsen
Home: Lexington, Ky.
Age: 34
Occupation: Director of marketing at Brisnet.com
Road to the Finals: Finished first and won $7,993 in cash and prizes in the Dog Days of Summer Handicapping Tournament at Canterbury Park on Aug. 14-15.
Bio: Rich is one of only a handful of players who has qualified for the National Handicapping Championship for four times. Finished eighth in NHC III in Jan. 2002 as a member of the championship winning team from Keeneland. Also finished 44th at NHC II after qualifying at Ellis Park, and 233rd at NHC V after qualifying at Turfway. Has an owner's license in several states and campaigned Booked Up, a horse he claimed for $4,000 who went on to win $250,000 after being switched to the turf. New York native was introduced to the races by his dad, who started taking him to Aqueduct and Belmont in 1977. His most memorable handicapping experiences include losing a huge pick 6 at Saratoga because of a steeplechase race where his horse took a sharp turn and jumped the fence into the eighth pole. Rich is a graduate from the University of Louisville Equine program, contributor to American Turf Monthly, Horseplayer Magazine, and Brisnet's handicapper's edge. He will be attending NHC VI with his wife Marta, who also qualified for the finals in a CDSN contest at Louisville Trackside.
Photo: Turfway Park