Four Footed Fotos

Hawthorne's Scott McMannis (center), and jockey Carlos Marquez Jr. pose in the winner's circle with the track's spring NHC qualifiers (L-R) Paul Yaffee, Robert Lowe, and Richard Hoffman.

The Hawthorne DRF/NTRA Buy-In Handicapping Contest drew a field of 185 players from 13 states across the country, but is was three local horseplayers who took home the dough at the end of the three-day event held from April 23-25. Hawthorne's top honors in the $10,000 contest went to Richard Hoffman of Des Plaines, Ill., who won a first prize of $5,000 and also qualified for next January's Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship VI in Las Vegas.

Hawthorne's format consisted exclusively of local races, so it was easy to see why local players performed so well in the contest. Hoffman accumulated a contest-winning bankroll of $172.60 based on mythical $2 win-and-place wagers on a total of 18 races over the three-day event (six races per day). The winner's total was more than enough to hold off runner-up Paul Yaffee of Skokie, Ill. who finished with $159.60 to earn second prize of $2,500. Yaffee narrowly prevailed over third-place finisher Robert Lowe of Lombard, Ill., who had to settle for only $1,000 in prize money despite finishing just 50 cents behind Yaffee with $159.40. It was far back to the next highest finishers.

The contest cost $100 to enter. Fourth place in the field paid $500. Fifth through 15th places all returned $100 dollars each.

Hawthorne will host another identical DRF/NTRA qualifying contest on Nov. 26-28 to determine three more DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship qualifiers.