Lexington, Ky., (February 27, 2026): The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today that Kevin Engelhard, Mike Ferrozzo, Chris Littlemore, and Ken Seeman have been voted by their peers for induction into the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship Hall of Fame. These decorated handicappers represent the 12th class of NHC Hall of Fame inductees and will be recognized during the NHC Champions Dinner on Sunday, March 15, following the conclusion of the 27th NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) at the Horseshoe Las Vegas.
Inductees into the NHC Hall of Fame go through a nomination and voting process that involves nearly 1,000 NHC Tour Members. Initial nominees were selected by a panel consisting of former NHC Champions, NHC Tour Champions, previously elected Hall of Fame Members, NHC Players Committee Members, and NHC Tournament Directors. Criteria for Hall of Fame consideration includes:
· Individuals must have competed in NHC-sanctioned tournaments and played consistently well over an extended period;
· Gained the respect and admiration of their peers; and
· Contributed to the overall growth and success of the NHC and/or tournament play in general, with indelible positive and lasting results.
This year’s Hall of Fame members received the most votes from a ballot sent to nearly 1,000 NHC Tour Members who have been Tour members for at least 10 years and have qualified at least once for the NHC.
Kevin Engelhard
NHC Tour Member since 2008
NHC Appearances: 17
NHC Mentor
Engelhard, of Franklin Park, NJ., is also a very accomplished horseplayer, with Top 40 finishes on the NHC Tour every year since 2014, and Top 10 finishes in 2016, 2020, 2023, and 2024. He’s also had top finishes on Horseplayers.com, Aqueduct, Delaware Park, Laurel, Monmouth Park, and Woodbine.
“I am truly grateful to be elected to the NTRA Hall of Fame. I want to thank the association for this honor and look forward to continuing my involvement in the NHC and the Thoroughbred racing community,” Engelhard said.
Engelhard also participates in the NHC Mentor program, which connects Tour members to many of the most formidable horseplayers who impart their wisdom on handicapping and contest play.
Mike Ferrozzo
NHC Tour Member since 2008
NHC Appearances: 18
2017 NHC Tour Champion
Ferrozzo, of Eagen, MN., has a wide range of accomplishments as a horseplayer. In 2017, he won the NHC Tour, and made the NHC Final Table in 2015. In addition to these NHC achievements, he has had great tournament success, winning at Canterbury Park, Hawthorne, Belmont, and Surfside, among others.
“I’m totally elated and honored, and want to thank everyone who supported me in the nomination and voting,” said Ferrozzo. “It’s not often that you get to be recognized with other lifetime achievers in a sport you’re passionate about!”
Ferrozzo also wanted to make sure to thank everyone who has helped him get to this point in his career.
“There have been hundreds of people I’ve learned from over the years in and out of the NHC, so I’d like to thank everyone who’s contributed to my handicapping knowledge and been a part of my horse racing experiences.”
Chris Littlemore
NHC Tour Member since 2011
NHC Appearances: 11
2018 NHC Champion
Littlemore, from Smith Falls, Ontario, has found great success being a horseplayer, with his biggest successes being at the National Horseplayers Championship itself. There, he was not only the champion in 2018, but he followed it up with a Final Table appearance in 2019, finishing 7th.
“It feels amazing. When I went to the races for the first time in the early 80’s, never in my wildest dreams did I think something like this would happen,” said Littlemore. “Having had success at the NHC has enabled me to be able to travel across the United States to racetracks I thought I would never be able to get to, but always wanted to see.”
Along with travel, Littlemore made sure to acknowledge those who helped him get to this moment.
“To be voted in the Hall of Fame by fellow horseplayers alongside past inductees is truly an honor.”
Ken Seeman
NHC Tour Member since 2009
NHC Appearances: 17
Seeman, a longtime horseplaying veteran from Wantagh, NY, had this to say about being inducted:
“Being voted into the NHC Hall of Fame by my peers is an amazing honor that is very special to me. I love the NHC and the community it creates and want to thank the NTRA for creating this wonderful event. I am grateful to have made so many close friends with shared experiences to last a lifetime.”
While qualified for 17 previous NHCs, Ken has qualified this year and in 2027, meaning he will have played in 19 consecutive years. He’s placed in the top 25 six times, and the top 15 three times. Other than the NHC, Ken has won The BIG One Tournament on HorseTourneys, and finished 2nd in the Pegasus World Cup Betting Championship.
“I’m proud of my accomplishment of having qualified for the NHC for 19 consecutive years, every year since I started playing contests. It’s so exciting to compete each year against some of the best handicappers in the world.”
During his career, Seeman worked in sports television and notably started with the “Thoroughbred Action with Harvey Pack” Show. “Working with and learning from Harvey and producer Mitch Levites put me in the starting gate of my long career in sports television.”
Previous NHC Hall of Fame inductees are (in chronological order): Mike Mayo; Ron Rippey; Judy Wagner; Steven Crist; Paul Shurman; Steve Wolfson, Sr; Chris Larmey; Steve Wolfson, Jr; Bryan Wagner; Trey Stiles; Roger Cettina; Richard Goodall; Sally Goodall; Ray Arsenault; Stanley Bavlish; Michael Beychok; J. Randy Gallo; David Gutfreund; Paul Matties, Jr; Jose Arias; Dennis Decauwer; Jim Goodman; William (Bill) Shurman; Duke Matties; Jim Meeks; Brett Wiener; Jim Benes; Cheryl McIntyre; and Rich Nilsen.
About the NHC
The NHC 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 websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. There are no buy-ins to the NHC. Each year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards and is named Horseplayer of the Year. For more information on the NHC, visit NTRA.com/nhc.
ABOUT THE NTRA
The NTRA, based in Lexington, Ky. and Washington, D.C., is a broad-based coalition of more than 100 horse racing interests and thousands of individual stakeholders consisting of horseplayers, racetrack operators, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity, welfare and integrity of Thoroughbred racing through consensus-based leadership, legislative advocacy, safety and integrity initiatives, fan engagement and corporate partner development. For more information visit NTRA.com.
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