LAS VEGAS (Thursday, January 28, 2016) – The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) today announced that NHCqualify.com, the official online qualifying site of the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC), will offer a new awards pool and a $1 million dollar bonus tied to tournament play on NHCqualify.com in 2016.
The NHC Tour member accumulating the highest number of NHC Tour Points in 2016 via NHCqualify.com will receive $10,000 and be eligible to receive a $1 million bonus if she or he also wins NHC 18 in January 2017. In addition, any first time NHC Tour member will be eligible for a $10,000 bonus awarded to the “NHC Cyber Rookie of the Year.” The NHC Cyber Rookie of the Year will be the first-time Tour member who accumulates the highest number of NHC Tour points via NHCqualify.com.
NHCqualify.com today also released its 2016 schedule of NHC qualifiers consisting of 42 events to be held from February through December. Approximately one-third of NHC participants qualify through contest play on NHCqualify.com in a typical year. A total of 169 individuals competing at NHC 17 qualified through sanctioned tournaments on NHCqualify.com in 2015.
“As the NHC’s official online qualifying site, NHCqualify.com is uniquely positioned to offer a points system and bonus that is a subset of the overall NHC Tour standings, but with a focus on the Tour points accumulated only on NHCqualify.com,” said NHCqualify.com Tournament Director Ken Kirchner. “A key component for continued growth of the NHC is involvement of new players so we’re excited to offer a Rookie of the Year program.”
About NHC
In its 17th year, the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship is the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities and horse racing and handicapping Web sites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. Each year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards. In addition to the founding title sponsor, the NHC is presented by Racetrack Television Network and Treasure Island Las Vegas.