Each week, the NTRA will provide a rundown of those who have qualified for the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) the previous weekend. Six players earned automatic entries into the 2022 NHC from last weekend’s tournaments on Horseplayers.com, HorseTourneys and Xpressbet. One of those qualifiers was Wendy Long, from western Canada, who earned an NHC seat for the 10th consecutive year.
The NHC is the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. The 2021 NHC is slated to take place in the Bally’s Events Center from August 27-29 with the 2022 NHC set for January 28-30 at Bally’s.
Last weekend’s qualifiers, and their respective contest sites, are as follows:
Horseplayers.com:
James Henry of Torrence, CA, has earned his second qualifying seat for the 2022 NHC, and his 14th overall dating back to 2005. Henry finished 25th in 2005, 29th in 2009, and was 65th in 2019, cashing $4,200.
Kevin Harrell of Marion, IN, has qualified for his third NHC.
Nick Kochanski of Mount Prospect, IL, is now a 7-time NHC qualifier. Kochanski’s best finish was in 2015, when he came in 30th place and cashed for $14,000.
Wendy Long of Surrey, BC, began her NHC qualifying streak in 2013, and finished eighth overall in the Championship that year.
“I am relieved to qualify for the 2022 NHC,” said Long, who earned a 2021 NHC slot not by winning a qualifier, but by securing  enough points among the non-qualified to secure a seat. “In my mind I call this ‘The Futility Race’ ― really annoying and frustrating not to secure a seat outright! But it kind of reflected the year 2020 – honestly at times it seemed like I could not win a two-horse race!”
She added that “slumps are character-builders, and I often tell my friends who don’t know horse racing that this is not an activity for the faint of heart! So I am very happy to have already secured my seat for 2022!”
Two pivotal wagers that helped Long qualify on Sunday were a “meaty $21.20” win-place bet on Very Savvy, who closed strongly on the outside under Edgard Zayas to win the 10th race at Gulfstream Park by a head. “The other wager was one my rivals didn’t make,” Long admitted. “Nobody in striking distance actually picked the 2-1 winner that would have vaulted them over me so I credit their wagers for actually helping me hang in there and get the spot!”
Growing up in British Columbia with a “horse-crazy gene,” Long went to the races with her family on Friday nights at Exhibition Park (now Hastings Park). “I taught myself how to read the (Daily Racing) Form, bet my first winner at age 9 and have had a lifelong love of horses and racing and, fortunately, have had a knack for picking winners.”
Xpressbet:
Melissa Maragolis of Thousand Oaks, CA, has qualified for her second NHC
Drew Keaton of Hamlin, WV, has qualified for his first NHC. “This is my first year of playing tournaments and I’ve had the NHC circled from the beginning,” said Keaton. “I’ve been close numerous times and I was wondering if I’d qualify this year. Now I can relax and go after entry number two.” Keaton hit the exacta in the Runhappy Skipat Stakes at Pimlico last Saturday to help him qualify.