Anderson dominates Prix de Paris tourney

Mark Anderson, a 41-year-old Las Vegas resident, put up the top score on the opening day of the inaugural Prix de Paris handicapping tournament at the Paris Las Vegas on March 10 and held on for first prize.

Contestants put up $1,000 to enter and made 15 mythical $2 win-and-place wagers each day of the tourney. After the first day, Anderson had accumulated a score of 175 points, based on parimutuel payouts and capped at 25-1 to win and 12-1 to place. On Saturday, he added 86.80 for a two-day point total of 261.80 to easily outdistance second-place finisher Terry Turrell, 63 of Sunset Beach, Calif., who had 218.90. Turrell had been in sixth place after Fridays action but motored past four contestants to grab the runner-up spot.

Andersons winnings were $22,875 for first, plus another $3,050 for having the opening days top score. Turrell earned $7,686. Both also earned automatic berths into the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship at Ballys Las Vegas, plus airfare and hotel accommodations, though Anderson doesnt need the airfare since hes already at the site of the NHC. Paris is the sister property of Ballys.