LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 20, 2020) – The second NHC Tour $10,000 Summer Challenge, a bonus challenge that rewards participants who accumulate the most NHC Tour points on HorsePlayers.com over a three-month period, will kick off Friday, May 29. The NHC Summer Challenge will consist of 40 direct qualifiers into the 2021 $3,000,000-estimated National Horseplayers Championship as well as low-priced feeders starting at $15. The top finisher in the Challenge will win $4,000, with second through fifth-place dividing the remaining prize pool (2nd– $2,500; 3rd– $2,000; 4th – $1,000; and 5th – $500). The Summer Challenge leaderboard will be updated weekly on www.nhctour.com.

There will be three dates on the Summer Challenge schedule offering five NHC qualifiers at a 20% lower ratio than the traditional pricing offered on NHC contests held on HorsePlayers.com:

  •           Friday, May 29 – $75 contest awarding a minimum of two NHC seats at a one berth per 115 entries ratio;
  •          Saturday, July 4 (two contests) – $165 contest awarding a minimum of two NHC berths at a one per 52 entries ratio, and a $500 contest awarding at least one NHC berth at a one per 17 entries ratio; and
  •           Monday, September 7 (two contests)- $75 contest awarding a minimum of two NHC berths at a one berth per 115 entries ratio, and a $500 contest awarding at least one NHC berth at a one per 17 entries ratio.

In addition to the $10,000 Summer Challenge prize, this year’s NHC Tour prize pool will award $340,000 in cash prizes and $15,000 to first-time NHC Tour members. The winner of the 2020 NHC Tour will be eligible for a $5,000,000 bonus if he or she were to win the 2021 NHC.

Participants must join the NHC Tour ($50) to be eligible for NHC Tour prizes and to be eligible to participate in the NHC. Tour Membership includes eligibility to participate in four free NHC Tour member contests in 2020. These contests are set for June 6, August 29, and September 26. There is also a free contest for first-time Tour members scheduled to be held on September 19. For more information on NHC Tour membership go to www.nhctour.com or contact Michele Ravencraft at mravencraft@ntra.com.

About the NHC

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. There are no bye-ins to the NHC. Each year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards. For more information on the NHC, visit NTRA.com/nhc.

About the NTRA

The NTRA, based in Lexington, Ky., is a broad-based coalition of more than 100 horse racing interests and thousands of individual stakeholders consisting of horseplayers, racetrack operators, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity, welfare and integrity of Thoroughbred racing through consensus-based leadership, legislative advocacy, safety and integrity initiatives, fan engagement and corporate partner development. The NTRA owns and manages the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance; NTRA.com; the Eclipse Awards; the National Horseplayers Championship; NTRA Advantage, a corporate partner sales and sponsorship program; and Horse PAC®, a federal political action committee. NTRA press releases appear on NTRA.com, Twitter (@ntra) and Facebook (facebook.com/1NTRA).