Rookie event Saturday on DRF Tournaments

Have you been thinking about playing in contests but haven’t yet joined in?

Saturday is the perfect opportunity. DRF Tournaments is hosting an NHC Tour Rookie event. Entries are free and two seats to the National Handicapping Championship – the world’s richest and most prestigious contest – will be awarded. Winners will also receive $400 in travel awards and a four-night stay at Treasure Island, the NHC host hotel.

Competing players must have an existing NHC membership. Normally, membership is $50 but just this week the NTRA announced a 50 percent discount for first-time Tour members. To sign up for the Tour, go to: https://www.ntra.com/membership/. Put up $25, win your share of $2.5 million – not a bad gig.

The NTRA’s Keith Chamblin explained the reasoning behind the Rookie contest.

“On the surface, participation in horse racing handicapping contests might appear to the uninitiated to be intimidating,” he said. “However, the fact is that a contest format consisting of mythical win and place wagers is very simple and straightforward.”

Limiting participation to first year Tour members is another way of breaking down potential barriers. “The goal is to provide a level playing field from the standpoint that everyone entered will be new to NHC contest play.”

Veteran contest players will have an opportunity of their own on Saturday in an NHCQualify event. Players put up $190 for an opportunity to win one of three NHC packages.

There is one-day qualifier on Saturday for the Gulfstream Conquer the Crown contest. Buy-in is $135 and up to two full $3,500 packages will be on offer.

On Sunday the headline event is another Round 1 BCQualify event. Buy-in is $100 and the top 10 percent of finishers advance to Round 2 later in the month when they will compete for up to eight full $10,000 seats to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge. It’s an ever-popular format where a reasonable buy-in and two good days can get you to the BCBC.

Sunday’s other featured event is a one-day qualifier for Santa Anita’s Autumn Championship. Up to two $4,500 packages will go to the players, who will put up $225 to compete. Any player who wins the Santa Anita tournament will be eligible for a $1 million bonus at the BCBC.

On both days there will be full slates of credit builders, feeders, and match-up contests. To get in on all the action, check out DRF Tournaments.