Guiding Hand targets Sunland Park Handicap

Guiding Hand, winner of the Winsham Lad earlier this meet and an allowance winner here last week, is targeting the $100,000 Sunland Park Handicap. That 1 1/8-mile test is slated for April 21.

o Sunland hosts the Southwest Shootout Handicapping contest on April 21-22. The contest serves as a qualifier for the NTRA/Daily Racing Form National Handicapping Contest, to be held in Las Vegas next winter. The top three finishers from the contest earn a berth in the championship.

The entry fee is $400 if it is paid by April 20, $500 on April 21. Each entrant receives a $300 live betting voucher to use on the Sunland races and also those at Santa Anita. There is no cap on winnings and no mandatory races.

Participants retain whatever sum is left on their vouchers at the end of the contest. A portion of the entry fees will build the purse. The champion takes home 50 percent of the prize pool, the runner-up 25 percent, third-place 10 percent, with the first -day leader earning 15 percent of a total purse.