October 2022

Welcome back to the October edition of the NHC at the Post, your monthly update on all the happenings of the National Horseplayers Championship Tour and more.

There was no horsing around in September, as a string of new NHC qualifiers made their way through some great contests.

The month started off with the Pacific Classic Betting Challenge in sunny Del Mar, CA. Local Robert Traynor of Oceanside, CA won the contest and guaranteed his spot for NHC 2023. Brett Brophy of Arlington, WA also won a NHC 2023 seat. Labor Day weekend also saw the end of the Hawthorne Summer Coast-to-Coast Showdown that ran from July 16th through the end of the summer. Pamela Cunningham of Fishers, IN won the Showdown and a NHC seat.

Kentucky Downs hosted the King of the Turf Handicapping Challenge over the course of two weekends. In the three days, nearly 700 entries locked in 10 NHC qualifiers: Steven Shaffer (Prospect, KY), Scott Carson (Yorktown Heights, NY), Scott Fiedler (Babylon, NY), Jeff Bussan (New Canaan, CT) Nick Fazzolari (Colts Neck, NJ), Erin Doty-McQuaid (Nicholasville, KY), Jeff Bussan (New Canaan, CT), Tom Rapps (Chagrin Falls, OH), Terry Jerge (Altadena, CA), and Nick Seevers (Sacramento, CA). Thomas Rapps will be crowned the National Turf Handicapping Champion at NHC 2023. The National Turf Handicapping Champion is the player with the highest aggregate three-day bankroll from all three Kentucky Downs Challenges. A player must compete in all three challenges to be eligible for the distinction.

FanDuel TV’s Surf to Turf Handicapping Contest saw nearly 250 entries and two NHC seats secured. Richard Murray of North Hills, CA won a seat along with first time NHC qualifier Ramon Calzadias of Carson, CA.

The following weekend up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Canterbury Park had nearly 100 entries at their ontrack only Dog Days of Summer Handicapping Contest. Mike Ferrozzo of Egan, MN and Colin Sumner of Maple Valley, WA took home first and second place along with seats for the NHC. That same weekend, Horsetourneys.com hosted The Big One awarding William Sadoo of Los Angeles, CA and Derek Dickson of Gilbert, AZ each a seat at the NHC.

September wrapped at Los Alamitos, CA with a father son victory. Out of 72 entries, Carson and Duke Matties from Laguna Beach, CA finished in first and second place and both won seats to Las Vegas. Of winning his first seat to the NHC, Carson said, “I’ve been watching my dad play in the NHC final since I was 15. It’s been my dream since then to qualify to the tournament and I finally did it.”

Last but not least, we had an overflow field of winners in this month’s online contests. Horsetourneys.com hosted four contests in September awarding eight NHC berths to Mark Aylward (Waxhaw, NC), Jay Coatta (Chanhassen, MN), Carl Kelemen (Henderson, NV), Brooks Lewis (Bluffton, TX), Adam Lewis (Mooresville, NC), Carl Richard Logan (Lexington, KY), Bob Schreiter (Savannah, GA), and Michael Somich (Raleigh, NC). Horseplayers.com in September awarded 18 NHC berths. A full list of September Horseplayers.com qualifiers can be found here. Notably four first-time qualifiers are Patrick Kennedy, Mark Mitchell, Patrick Mooney and Mike Thomas.

Robert Traynor

Steven Shaffer

Scott Fiedler

Jeff Bussan

Mike Somich

Linda Rodriguez