Santa Anita to hold live-money handicapping tournament

Santa Anita will have a live-money handicapping tournament, the Santa Anita Autumn Handicapping Challenge, the second weekend of its autumn meet, Oct. 4-5, the track announced on Friday.

The tournament will have $100,000 in prize money. In addition to $30,000 split among the top three finishers, there are five berths to the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship next January, as well as four spots to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge, held over the two-day Breeders’ Cup Oct. 31-Nov. 1, and other prizes.

The four fully paid BCBC berths are worth $10,000 each.

The buy-in to the Oct. 4-5 tournament is $4,000, with $3,000 as a bankroll and $1,000 to the prize pool.

“Our goal is to offer participants top value for their wagering dollars, with 100 percent of the entry fees paid back to the players,” said Nate Newby, Santa Anita vice president of marketing, who is the contact for anyone wishing to play.

“The prize pool is loaded with Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge spots, NHC seats, and cash prizes,” Newby said. “We want our customers to know we’ve got a tremendous, newly renovated facility here at Santa Anita."