LAS VEGAS, Nevada (February 6, 2019) – Thursday’s Last Chance/First Chance Contest represents the final opportunity for players to qualify for this weekend’s 20th NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) Presented by Racetrack Television Network, STATS Race Lens™ and Treasure Island Las Vegas and have a shot at the three-day tournament’s first-place prize of $800,000.
The NHC-eve fixture, hosted by Treasure Island, includes races from Aqueduct, Fair Grounds, Gulfstream, Santa Anita, and Oaklawn. The tournament format requires participants to make a total of 13 event WIN/PLACE wagers (seven mandatory and six player’s choice). A $500 entry fee must be paid in full prior to participating in the tournament. Registration will take place Thursday on the Second Level of the Treasure Island between 7:00-10:00 a.m. PT.
The top five places will receive a qualifying spot to NHC 20 provided they are a current 2018 NHC Tour member. For every 20 contest entries over 140, an additional NHC will be awards. Last year’s Last Chance Contest awarded 10 NHC spots.
In addition to guaranteed spots to this weekend’s NHC, Thursday’s contest also will offer three spots to the 2020 NHC. A player must be a 2019 NHC Tour member to be eligible to win a 2020 NHC spot and receive 2019 NHC Tour points.
About the NHC
In its 20th year, 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 bye-ins to the NHC. Each year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards. For more information on the NHC, visit NTRA.com/nhc.
About the NTRA
The NTRA, based in Lexington, Ky., 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. The NTRA owns and manages the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance; NTRA.com; the Eclipse Awards; the National Horseplayers Championship; NTRA Advantage, a corporate partner sales and sponsorship program; and Horse PAC®, a federal political action committee. NTRA press releases appear on NTRA.com, Twitter (@ntra) and Facebook (facebook.com/1NTRA).
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