A field of 42 of the best tournament players in North America competed Sunday in the first Keeneland Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge/DRF-NTRA National Championship qualifier.  Four spots in the BCBC and four spots in the National Handicapping Championship were at stake, and the players each posted $3,000 to take their shots.

Local entrepreneur Evan Trommer was the champion, turning his initial $2,000 live bankroll into $6822.80.  On an unusually chalky day, Evan brought home the trophy after settling on the two favorites in the last race of the day.  Tommy Massis from Toronto  finished second, with Henry Wessel of Roselle, Illinois finishing third.  Judy Wagner, a former NHC Champion from New Orleans, finished fourth and grabbed the final BCBC spot.  Those four will play in the $10,000 BCBC at the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita on November 2nd and 3rd.  First and second place finishers Trommer and Massie will also represent Keeneland at the NHC in Las Vegas in January, with a shot at first prize of $750,000.

In addition, fifth-place finisher Ricky Zimmer of New York and sixth-place finisher Ron Thompson of Midway qualify for the NHC, since Henry Wessel and Judy Wagner had already qualified.  Please see the above for results of the tournament.

This tournament was a joint venture of Keeneland Association, the NTRA, and the Breeders’ Cup, in support of these two outstanding year-end tournaments that draw the best players from around the world.