Travers card provides plenty of options for horseplayers

The eyes of the racing world will be on Saratoga this weekend for the stakes-laden Travers card, and contest players will have plenty of options to play those Saturday races online and to win into future tournaments. On Sunday, players will have a chance to compete for new prizes just added to the DRF Tournaments inventory.

We’ll start with Saturday, when there’s a qualifier for the Keeneland Challenge. Players put up $410, with one in 10 entries receiving a $3,000 berth into the Sunday, Oct. 14, contest, plus $500 in travel. Keeneland also offers a $400 buy-in event on Saturday, Oct. 13, making that weekend a great opportunity for contest players to visit one of the meccas of the sport.

Also on Saturday there’s a chance to win into the World Championship of Handicapping. Contest players are eagerly anticipating the announcement of the date for the 2019 event, but we do know this: it will take place online and there will be no takeout in the finals. For Sunday’s qualifier, players put up $580, with one in 10 winning their $5,000 buy-ins.

On Sunday, two new events take center stage. The Gulfstream Sire Stakes Challenge is a $1,500 live-bank contest at Gulfstream on Saturday, Sept.1. Players can win-in on Sunday by putting up $180, with one in 10 advancing to the live-bank tournament. Nine entries are required for the online qualifier to go on.

Sunday also marks the first opportunity for players to qualify online for the Orleans Fall Classic, a three-day mythical-money event at the Orleans Las Vegas from Oct. 11-13. For Sunday’s qualifier, players will put up $120, with one in 10 entries receiving a prize package worth $1,000: a $500 berth in the Fall Classic, plus $500 in travel.

Players looking to compete in a live-bankroll event this weekend have Monmouth’s Super Qualifier. It’s a $500 event live at Monmouth on Saturday with seats for the National Horseplayers’ Championship and Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge on offer.

For more information about contests, go to tournaments.drf.com