November 2024
October Recap
October has been a busy month qualifying 45 entries to NHC 2025.
Keeneland hosted the very popular Fall NHC BCBC Challenge qualifying three players on October 11th and 10 on October 12th. Special honors go to Dave Nichols for cashing a huge double in the last race on Saturday that netted him nearly $24k in cash, $56K for first place, a BCBC and an NHC berth.
Horseplayers.com and Horsetourneys.com awarded 26 NHC seats in October. Monmouth Park, TwinSpires and Xpressbet each awarded two entries the 2025 NHC in October.
Currently there are 478 NHC entries and 95 double qualifiers. Click here to see who is on their way to the NHC to be held March 14-16, 2025 at Horseshoe Las Vegas.
Dave Nichols
Carol Trageser
Paul Weizer
Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge
The Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge, thoroughbred racing’s biggest live money handicapping contest, takes place this weekend with an estimated $1.25 million in cash prizes, it’s a $2,500 buy-in and $7,500 betting bankroll, required of each player.sophospsmartbannerend
Top contenders for this year’s contest include last year’s winner Sean Boarman from Lexington, KY who will try to repeat and better his record performance in 2023. Other former champs also contending in 2024 will include 2022 champion Drew Coatney, 2021 champion Matt Miller, 2020 champion Marshall Gramm, 2019 champion Brad Anderson, 2018 champion Chuck Grubbs, 2017 champion Nisan Gabbay, 2014 champion Robert Traynor, and the only 2-time champion from 2011 & 2012, Patrick McGoey.
“Players from all over the country and Canada try their best to win some of the expected prize pool of over $1.25 million,” said tournament director Tim Schram. “Three hundred players are expected on-site at Del Mar while others will compete from Gulfstream Park, Monmouth Park, Santa Anita Park, TVG, the official wagering partner of the Breeders’ Cup, NYRAbets, Xpressbet, Twinspires and HPI in Canada.”
For the full BCBC rules and information how to play, visit the Breeders’ Cup website.
A few short weeks after the BCBC, Del Mar’s Fall Handicapping Challenge will be hosted on Saturday November 30. This one-day live money contest features a $3,000 buy in to play live on-track or on TVG.com. With $115,000 in total prizes, and NHC seats on the line, the Del Mar Fall Handicapping Challenge is not a contest to miss. For more information and registration details visit Del Mar’s website.
Race Your Way to the NHC with Race Lens Race to the NHC Contest Series
We’re more than halfway through the “Race to the NHC” exclusively for Race Lens Customers. There is still time and so many chances to qualify for the Race Lens Final 50 contest on February 22. So far, 16 people won seats into the Final 50 contest. As a reminder, there are contests every Saturday through February 15 on Horseplayers.com, where the top two finishers earn a qualifying berth to the Race Lens Final 50 Contest. That contest, on February 22, will send two handicappers to the National Horseplayers Championship at the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. For more information, click here.
Turkey Trot your Way to Hawthorne This Thanksgiving Weekend
This Thanksgiving Weekend Hawthorne Race Course is the place to be for the Annual Thanksgiving Weekend Hawthorne Contest. This three one-day contest series features a $10,000 cash prize for the player with the biggest single-day bankroll on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday, 10 NHC seats (2 Friday, 4 Saturday, 4 Sunday) and three $1 million NHC bonus opportunities. The live wager format allows all players to keep what you win with no entry fees.
“It’s so great to see how our Thanksgiving weekend contest has become a holiday tradition for so many players, particularly those coming in from outside of Chicago. It’s like a reunion for a lot of guys and our team as well. Plus, this year we’ve added a $10,000 cash prize in addition to the 10 NHC seats and three $1 Million bonuses so we’re seeing a lot of new first-time registrations already,” said John Walsh, general manager of Hawthorne Race Course.
Throughout the weekend, 10 NHC seats are up for grabs – 2 Friday, 4 Saturday, and 4 Sunday. New to this year’s contest is a $10,000 cash prize for the biggest single-day bankroll on either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. There are also 3 $1 million bonuses available (one bonus each day) available to top finishers if they also win the 2025 NHC.
For full rules and registration information, visit Hawthorne’s website.
November NHC Qualifiers
- November 1-2 | $10,000 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge – 15 seats guaranteed. HYBRID
Del Mar
- November 30 | $3,000 Del Mar Fall Handicapping Challenge – 2 seats guaranteed. HYBRID
Hawthorne
- November 29 | $300 Thanksgiving Weekend Contest – 2 seats guaranteed. ONTRACK
- November 30 | $500 Thanksgiving Weekend Contest – 4 seats guaranteed. ONTRACK
- December 1 | $500 Thanksgiving Weekend Contest – 4 seats guaranteed. ONTRACK
- November 1 | $75 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 3 | $165 – Restricted to players that have NOT won a NHC 2025 seat – 1 seat guaranteed.
- November 8 | $75 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 9 | $210 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 10 | $165 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 15 | $75 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 16 | $500 – 1 seat guaranteed.
- November 17 | $210 – Restricted to players that have NOT won a NHC 2025 seat – 1 seat guaranteed.
- November 22 | $75 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 23 | $210 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 28 | $125 Thanksgiving Day Special Tournament – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 29 | $75 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 30 | $165 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 11 | FREE – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 3 | $165 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 16| $165 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 24 | $165 – 2 seats guaranteed.
- November 23 | $1000 Churchill – 2 seats guaranteed. ONLINE
