Earlier this year Sheldon Finkelstein was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During a “bucket list” visit to Del Mar racetrack in July, he participated in a qualifying tournament and won a berth to the NHC.  His goal ever since has been not to win the NHC, but simply to live long enough to participate in it. Below are links to recent articles on Finkelstein in ESPN.com and the Washington Post.

 

Tom Solitto, 35, has successfully battled testicular cancer twice, once in 2001 and again in 2009.

 

Defending champion John Doyle  is not the only former winner to be returning to the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship. There are six others: 2010 winner Brian Troop, 2008 winner Richard Goodall; 2007 victor Stanley Bavlish; 2006 Champion Ron Rippey, 2003 kingpin Steve Wolfson Jr. and 2001 victress Judy Wagner also have qualified. The best performance in the NHC by a former champion, thus far, is the 11th place effort in 2005 turned in by 2004 winner Kent Meyer.

 

As the winner of the NHC Tour in 2011, Paul Shurman not only won $75,000 and an NHC berth. Should he go on to win this year’s NHC, he would receive a $2 million bonus in addition to the NHC grand prize of $1,000,000. Shurman already came close to winning the NHC once.  He finished third in 2009.

 

Approximately 240 participants -- or slightly less than half the NHC 13 field -- have qualified for the NHC in previous years (pending the Last Chance Tournament), and no fewer than 28 of this year’s field of 482 have qualified seven or more times. They include: Sally Wang Goodall (10 times), David “Trey” Stiles (10-all in a row), Robert Bertolucci (10), Paul Shurman (10-all in a row), William Shurman (9-brother of Paul, William has made last 9 in a row), Rich Nilsen (9, including last 6 in a row), Richard Goodall (9- husband of Sally Wang Goodall), Judy Wagner (9-including 6 in a row), Louis Constan (9), Mike Mayo (9), Craig Kaufman (8-and last 7 in a row), Duke Matties (8-all in a row), Ron Rippey (8-last 7 in a row), Ron Geary (8-all in a row), Dave Gutfreund (8), Bryan Wagner (8), former NHC champ Steve Wolfson Jr. (8), Mark Bertolucci (7), Dennis Decauwer (7), Les Harris (7), Steve Hartshorn (7), Howard Hong (7), 2010 NHC Tour champ Tom Noone (7),. Joe Scanio (7), H. Mitchell Schuman (7), Kevin Geraghty (7), Chris Larmey (7) and Paul Weizer (7). The husband and wife combination of Sally Wang Goodall and Richard Goodall have qualified a combined 19 times, as have brothers Bill and Paul Shurman. Judy and hubby Bryan Wagner have reached Las Vegas on a combined 17 occasions.

 

This year’s NHC contestants range in age from 22-year-old college student Chris Bertolucci to 84-year-old retired Air Force pilot Gordon Larson.

 

The NHC’s oldest contestant is also its most venerable. While serving our country in Vietnam, Gordon Larson spent six years in as a prisoner of war.

 

What are the odds that a woman wins NHC 13? About 14-1. That’s because no fewer than 36 females will be in the field of 482

 

California is the home state of 82 of this year’s 482 contestants -- more than one in six.  Second in the parade of states is New York with 52 representatives, followed by Florida (25), New Jersey (24), Illinois (23) and Texas (21).  Canada is represented by 31 competitors who will try to return the crown north of the border after a one-year hiatus.  

 

The Bertolucci family of California has managed to qualify four members to this year’s NHC.   The clan is led by Robert Bertolucci, who is one of four 2011 competitors playing in a record 10th NHC.  Other Bertoluccis in this year’s field are Chris Bertolucci, Mark Bertolucci and Argie Bertolucci. For Mark, this will be his seventh NHC appearance. Because four Bertoluccis have qualified, Bertolucci is officially tied with Wong as the surname most likely to be on the NHC grand prize check this year.  

 

Noel Michaels has chronicled the NHC for publications, including Daily Racing Form and American Turf Monthly, since the event’s inception in 2000.  In 2003, he authored the respected “Handicapping Tournament Handbook” which has helped guide countless players through the nuances of tournament play.  This year, Michaels will make his third appearance as an active NHC contestant.

 

INDUSTRY BIGWIGS

It’s a good thing Ellis Park is not open during the NHC. If it were, Ron Geary might have an advantage. He owns the Henderson, Ky. track. Steve Davidowitz is the CEO of gradeoneracing.com and is the author of the acclaimed handicapping book, “Betting Thoroughbreds.” Steve Wolfson Jr.’s grandfather and Steve Wolfson Sr.’s father was Louis Wolfson, the owner of Affirmed. Corey Johnsen is the president of Kentucky Downs. Noel Michaels works for Nassau OTB. Howard Hong is the TV commentator at Turf Paradise, and his wife Jacque is clerk of the course there. Ron Rippey, the 2006 NHC champ, is the handicapper for the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger, the 10th largest newspaper in America. Jerry McClenin is the stable agent for the Paul Pompa racing stable. Before he recently became the Executive Director of the Ohio HBPA, David Basler was an Equibase chartcaller for 15 years and a freelance reporter for Daily Racing Form. Gary Johnson would like to add an NHC title to the 26 meet training titles he has won at tracks including Thistledown and Mountaineer Park. Tom Quigley is publisher of Horseplayer Magazine and was recently named VIP Player Concierge at Santa Anita. Kevin Geraghty operates HPqualify.com.  Scott Carson is the founder of publichandicapper.com. Gary Machiz is a harness racing trainer. In 1996, he won the $1 million North American Cup at Woodbine with Arizona Jack. And while Howard Dennis, a five-time NHC qualifier, and Monte Engler do not work in the racing industry per se, both have achieved coveted distinctions within it. Dennis once owned a share in the great stallion, Mr. Prospector. Engler was a part owner of Tale of the Cat. (Engler also was a bigwig in another industry -- he helped create the first cellular telephone company in the U.S.) Peter Rotondo and Tim Schram both work for Breeders’ Cup and have previously worked the NHC.  Cary Fotias created the Equiform performance figures. Richard Goodall, the 2008 NHC winner, had his first job in the racing industry, but you wouldn’t have exactly called him a bigwig.  He was responsible for cleaning the bathrooms at Pocono Downs. 

 

Making his seventh NHC appearance is Dennis Decauwer, who is in the Accounting Hall of Fame at Cal Poly Pomona.

 

Patrick McGoey, an attorney from Metairie, La., won last November’s Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge thanks to a $7,000 real-money win bet on Drosselmeyer in the tournament’s final race, the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

 

There are several husband and wife qualifiers in this year’s tournament including Bryan and Judy Wagner, Richard and Sally Goodall, Craig and Cheryl Kaufman, Mike and Marsha Mayo, Howard and Jacque Hong, Gary Machiz and Stacy McMullin, Diane and Mac McClyment, Brett and Sarah Wiener, Joe and April Scanio, and Kevin and Lee Geraghty. Bill and Paul Shurman are brothers. So are Myles and Mark Richards, Albert and Dennis Tiernan, Michael and Louis Cavalaris and Duke and Paul Matties.  Mike Harrington’s wife did not qualify.  But the two Harringtons live in a bus and travel from track to track together. 

 

INTERESTING OCCUPATIONS 

The NHC always seems to have its share of CEOs, attorneys, professional horseplayers and postal workers, and this year is no exception. But NHC contestants truly come from all walks of life. Robert Schintzius owns Jerktown USA -- a beef jerky company. Christian Hellmers, who goes by the nickname “Planet”, is a wellness coach. One of his specialties is giving dating advice. Hellmers has a lot in common with Darrell Lerner, who is the co-founder of an online dating company. Don Allen is a logger. Timothy Herboth is a retired nuclear power plant designer. Patrick Gianforte owns a utility company called Pic Six LLC. Les Harris is a pilot. Dr. Gupta Etwaru is an eye surgeon. Cara Yarusso is a chemical engineer for General Mills. Jim Covello is a Wall Street analyst specializing in the semiconductor industry. Craig Kaufman is the poker tournament director at Hustler Casino in California. Jon Cimo is a drug tester.

 

Eric Roth won an Oscar in 1994 for Best Adapted Screenplay for Forrest Gump. He also was nominated for a Golden Globe for his adapted screenplay of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Next month he will receive a lifetime achievement Award from the Writer’s Guild of America.  Frank Dambra won screenplay awards for Annihilation and Black and White, a musical comedy that is now being considered for Broadway. Joe Scanio is an accomplished stage actor. James Schwartz wrote the script for and was the on-camera host of the cult film Faces of Death. Ken Seeman is a director for MSG Networks. Steve Wolfson Sr. financed Mel Brooks’s first two movies -- “The Producers” and “Twelve Chairs”

 

Garrett Skiba enjoys stair-climbing events and has climbed the three tallest buildings in Chicago. When not working for pay as a dentist, Francis Boustany volunteers his service to the poor and uninsured. Mel Moser co-hosts a weekly radio show for the blind. Rick Smurdon is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. Ed Knolle is an avid beekeeper. Nicholas Alpino has visited more than 100 foreign countries. Albert Wong is a nationally-ranked chess player. Roger Schumaker frequently goes gold mining in Colorado. Mary Frances Kappel is a soprano in the Archdiocesian Choir of St. Louis.

 

Dick Harris was a top defensive back for the San Diego Chargers in the 1960s during the heyday of the American Football League.  He held the team interception record for over 20 years. Keith Swagerty coached basketball at Seattle Pacific Univ. for 10 years.  Before that he played hoops at University of the Pacific, where he played against Lew Alcindor and Elvin Hayes. Frank Mustari was drafted by the L.A. Dodgers in 1987.  Bill Holmes played in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. John Fasola has those last two topped—he was drafted by the Pirates in 1982, and his son was drafted by the Dodgers in 2010. Nolan White played football at Texas Tech. Kevin Geraghty played basketball at both Marist and St. John’s.  

 

Should they win the $1 million grand prize, Christian Hellmers, Tracey Hauth, Dan Shugar, and Nolan White have pledged to donate as much as 10% of their winnings to Thoroughbred retirement.

 

Because he has terminal cancer, Roger Schumaker has decided that if he wins the $1 million first prize, he will buy houses for his three sons.

 

For good luck, Robin Buser carries a “DNA card” produced by Upper Deck. The card contains hair strands of Smarty Jones. She also carries another card with small pieces of Secretariat’s blue and white silks in it.

 

James Dickson was a contestant in 2000 on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, but he was eliminated on the $32,000 question.

 

Colleen Curley has changed flat tires for more than 100 strangers.

 

Ken Scholz is a part-time tax preparer. Greg Lesko is a financial planner and does a weekly finance segment on TV in Binghamton, NY.

 

At last year’s NHC, Nathaniel Gines was still working as an I.R.S. agent. He qualified again this year, but he has since retired.