Final BC prep weekend offers stepping-stones toward bigger events

Another big weekend of Breeders’ Cup prep races will give contest players a final opportunity to win into next weekend’s Keeneland’s Challenge, as well as chances to win into November’s Del Mar Fall Challenge and the upcoming World Championship of Handicapping.

The Keeneland contest is Saturday and allows one in 10 entries to win their $3,000 buy-ins plus $500 in travel. It costs $410 to play. Check out the DRF Tournaments home page (tournaments.drf.com) under upcoming events for other possibilities to win into Keeneland or feed-in to Saturday’s last-chance qualifier. Keeneland’s contest is a must-attend live-bankroll event for many horseplayers and it annually attracts a strong field from around the country.

Sharing the DRFT spotlight Saturday is the latest Grade 1 qualifier for the World Championship of Handicapping. It costs $580, and one in 10 entries will win $5,000 seats to the $1-million, no-takeout WCH finals. The WCH is a two-day, mythical money event that will take place online early next year. Most players appearing in the Grade 1 on Saturday will have won their way in via round-one contests, which take place every operating day at DRFT. Round ones cost $95, one in seven players will win their $580 entry fee to the Grade 1’s.

On Sunday, the Del Mar Fall Challenge takes center stage with the same terms as the WCH Grade 1: $580 to play, one in 10 win a prize worth $5,000: $4,500 for the entry and $500 in travel. The contest, at Del Mar, takes place Nov. 11-12 and will be the first major live-bank contest of the new season after the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge. A minimum of nine entries will be required for the tournament to go.

Also, as a reminder, the Everest Australia Free Tournament, presented by Sky Racing World, is fast approaching. It is scheduled for next Friday night with the first race at 10 p.m. Eastern, the last race being the Everest itself, Australia’s answer to the Pegasus World Cup. The contest will utilize an all-in format, and the winner will receive an expenses-paid trip to Australia in April. With a grand prize worth more than $6,000, this is a must-participate free roll.

Finally, check out the DRFT website for a full list of available games, including matchups, credit builders, feeders, and winner-take-all games. For more information, go to tournaments.drf.com.