Tournament draws from all over

Horseplayers from 17 different states are signed up to participate in Oaklawn Park's qualifying tournament for the Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship, said Jason Milligan, a spokesman for the Hot Springs, Ark., track. The tournament will be held Saturday and Sunday, with the first three finishers earning a trip to Las Vegas to compete in the 2008 Championship on Jan. 25-26.

Milligan said that as of Monday, there were 140 entrants for the Oaklawn qualifier. Among those set to compete was Les Harris, the Texan who won last year's Oaklawn qualifier. Other states to be represented by players at Oaklawn include Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

There is $25,000 in prize money up for grabs during the Oaklawn tournament, with first place worth $10,000.