David Petkovsek, a card dealer from Burlington, Kentucky placed first in the second of Ellis Park's three handicapping contests scheduled for 2004. In addition to prize money, Petkovsek also qualified for the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship VI to be held on Jan. 21-22, 2005 at Bally's-Las Vegas.

This is the second straight year that Petkovsek, 40, has qualified for the NHC at Ellis Park. Last year he scored the highest cumulative score in Ellis Park's three contests to earn his trip to Las Vegas. He went on to place 137th in the January 2004 national finals.

Petkovsek will join Ellis Park's July 16 contest winner, Lee Walker, and Jerry Greenwell, the winner of Ellis Park's Aug. 28 contest, on Ellis Park's three-person team at NHC VI in Las Vegas.