2025 NHC Hall of Fame

The NHC Hall of Fame is a way to honor and recognize individuals. Those considered will meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • Competed in NHC-sanctioned tournaments and played consistently well over an extended period of time.
  • Gained the respect and admiration of their peers.
  • Contributed to the overall growth and success of the NHC and/or tournament play in general, with indelible positive and lasting results.

The following nominees have been selected by a panel of current NHC Tour members who are former NHC Champions and NHC Tour Champions, Hall of Fame Members, Players Committee Members, and Tournament Directors.

Eligible Voters include current NHC Tour Members who have been Tour members for at least 10 years and have qualified at least once to the NHC. Votes must be submitted by Friday, February 14th at 12:00 pm ET

Voting form located at bottom of page.

Hall of Fame Nominees

Jim Benes

NHC Tour Member since 2011

NHC Appearances: 11

2013 NHC Champion

I’ve been around too long to be able to recall most of my successes which took place on the Chicago circuit before racing pretty much died here. In the past decade or so, I have cashed at Monmouth and in the Pegasus at Gulfstream Park. I had some wins at Indiana Downs, Woodbine and Santa Anita. A big thrill was winning the inaugural Hawthorne Horseplayers Invitational. The biggest win to date, of course, was the 2013 NHC victory. The NHC has to be on any horseplayers bucket list, as what is better then a room filled with all horseplayers competing?

Tournament successes include first places finishes at the 2023 Woodbine Contest, 2023 Indiana Grand Contest, 2020 Hawthorne Invitational, Santa Anita in 2018, and the 2018 Ultimate Betting Challenge.

Kevin Engelhard

NHC Tour Member since 2008

NHC Appearances: 16

NHC Mentor

I am one the most consistent NHC Tour players with Top 40 NHC Tour finishes every year since 2014 and Top 10 Tour finishes in 2016, 2020, and 2023. I sit 6th in this year’s NHC Tour Leaderboard and am the top player in the NHC Player Rating System.

Tournament successes include multiple top finishes on Horseplayers.com, Aqueduct, Delaware Park, Laure, Monmouth Park, and Woodbine.

Mike Ferrozzo

NHC Tour Member since 2008

NHC Appearances: 16

2017 NHC Tour Champion

I have been playing in tournaments and online across the country most of the last two decades, have promoted the NHC by traveling to horse venues most years, many of these multiple times, encouraging camaraderie and competition with friends, while qualifying for the NHC at many of these, sometimes cashing and in a few cases setting tournament scoring records.

Tournament successes include 2015 Final Table, five Top 10 NHC Tour Finishes, as well contest Top finishes at Canterbury Park in 2022, Hawthorne in 2017, Surfside in 2016, and Belmont Park in 2015.

Marshall Gramm

NHC Tour Member since 2014

NHC Appearances: 10

Final Table Participant 2019

I am honored to be considered for the NHC Hall of Fame. I have qualified for the NHC for the last eleven years and finished 9th in 2019. I was also the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) winner in 2020 and have two other top ten finishes (5th in 2018 and 10th in 2023). As a horseplayer advocate, I have participated on panels at the Jockey Club Roundtable (2023) and the Racetrack Industry Program Global Symposium (five times). In addition, I am an Economics Professor at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, where I teach the Economics of the Racetrack Wagering Markets; interviews from my 2022 course are available on the In the Money Media network, featuring insights from horseplayers and racing industry professionals. I am also a horse owner (Ten Strike Racing, 630 wins, 42 stakes wins) and breeder (5 stakes winners). I have been privileged to see live racing or jai alai at 72 different racetracks and frontons.

Chris Littlemore

NHC Tour Member since 2011

NHC Appearances: 10

2018 NHC Champion

I have been a consistent and dedicated player in NHC sanctioned events for over a decade. Most of my success has been at the NHC Championship itself. I have a couple of top ten finishes in the Woodbine Mile contest and Pick Your Prize contest at Monmouth Park plus multiple top finishes online. I feel that I’m good representative of the average horseplayer that made it big. In the beginning I only played in my free time due to my job and family. Upon my retirement I was able to dedicate more time to competing and studying the ins and outs of contest play. With my trajectory in NHC sanctioned play, I believe I’ve made a lasting impact on the community and I am honoured to be considered for the Hall of Fame.