LAS VEGAS (Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021) ― Justin Mustari continues to lead the 22nd National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) presented by Racetrack Television Network, Caesars Entertainment and Bally’s Las Vegas, with a bankroll of $312.60, following Sunday morning’s Semifinal round. The top 10 continue on to this afternoon’s DraftKings Final Table, where final placings will be determined for the $725,000 grand prize down to $50,000 for 10th. Bankrolls from previous rounds carry over to the Final Table, where players must select one horse for a mythical $2 Win-Place wager on each of the same seven races.
The Final Table players, in descending order by bankroll:
Bankroll, Name, Hometown, Qualifying Site, Past NHC success
1. $312.60, Justin Mustari, Des Plaines, Ill., Hawthorne, 4-time NHC qualifier
2. $310.20, Jose Arias, Bell Gardens, Calif., HorsePlayers.com, 2014 NHC winner, 9x qualifier
3. $302.40, Christopher Goodall, Winter Park Calif., NHC Tour, 13x qualifier
4. $274.50, Sarah Wiener, Clearwater, Fla., HorseTourneys.com/Horseplayers.com, 9x qualifier
5T. $273.10, Paul Calia, Kansas City, Mo., HorsePlayers.com, first-time qualifier
5T. $273.10, Paul Yaffee, Evanston, Ill., HorsePlayers.com, 6x qualifier
7. $271.30, Travis Allison, Frisco, Texas, Lone Star Park, first-time qualifier
8. $269.30, Jason Phillips, Sutherland, Va., NHC Tour, first-time qualifier
9. $267.10, Jeff VanDrie, Carefree, Ariz., HorseTourneys.com/Horseplayers.com, 2x qualifier
10. $266.30, Brendan Fay, Seminole, Fla., Horseplayers.com / Breeders’ Cup, 8x qualifier
The Final Table mandatory races are (all times PT): Monmouth Park Race 10, 1:33 p.m.; Saratoga Race 9, 2:39 p.m.; Saratoga Race 10, 3:13 p.m.; Del Mar Race 6, 4:44 p.m.; Del Mar Race 7, 5:16 p.m.; Golden Gate Race 8, 5:33 p.m.; and Del Mar Race 8, 5:48 p.m.
In addition to the $725,000 first-place cash prize, the winner of the Final Table will receive an Eclipse Award as the 2021 Horseplayer of the Year and will be honored at the next Eclipse Awards ceremony in February 2022.
Defending NHC champion Thomas Goldsmith advanced to the Semifinal round with both of his entries and finished 18th ($246.80) and 25th ($224.20). He was one of only two players with multiple entries in the Semifinal round.
In a separate Consolation Tournament for players that did not reach the Semifinal round, Vincent Achillare of Convent Station, N.J., won the $10,000 top prize with a bankroll of $96.30 from 10 optional races. The Consolation Tournament started with bankrolls reset to zero. Cash prizes totaling $50,000 were awarded, from the $10,000 first prize down to $1,000 for 20th.
The three-day NHC wraps up Sunday evening with the annual Champions’ Dinner at the Bally’s Event Center.
The National Horseplayers Championship is presented by Racetrack Television Network, Caesars Entertainment and Bally’s Las Vegas and sponsored by 1/ST BET, Breeders’ Cup, Capitol OTB, Century Bets, Daily Racing Form, Draft Kings, EquinEdge, FanDuel Group, Four Roses Bourbon, Hawthorne Racecourse, Hialeah Park, HorsePlayers.com, HorseTourneys.com, Keeneland, Monmouth Park, NYRA Bets, Roberts Communications, Santa Anita Park, STATS® Race Lens, The Stronach Group, TVG and Xpressbet.