Name:
Brett Wiener

Hometown:
Clearwater, FL and Las Vegas, NV

Occupation:
Retired, with my Wife Sarah in 2017.  I am the owner of Shrine Design Inc, We design and manufacture, the World’s Finest Electronic Candle Systems for Catholic Churches

Do you have any children? Pets?

No children, currently one cat Grace.

What was the first contest you played in and when? 

November 2009 on HorseTourneys to get into the NHC, which I just saw an ad for in the DRF the week before….and I won!

What do you like most about handicapping contests? 

Online: the challenge     In Person: Meeting new, and keeping in touch with all our friends, at the events.

What is your favorite racetrack? 

Keeneland and Kentucky Downs

How did you get interested in handicapping contests? 

Just competing for prize $$ gets the adrenaline going.

When and where did you qualify for the 2023 NHC? 

February on HorseTourneys and July on HorsePlayers

Tell us about the day you qualified for the NHC at the track or online (how it went, your strategy, the energy, etc.).

I spend about 1-2 mins MAX lightly scanning the PP’s for each race the night before, if I am on the West Coast, same day AM if in the East.  That is all my brain allows me to do now.  Then, while laying in bed usually, I enter my picks online, hopefully correctly, which is not always the case.  Then, I watch the races and wager as they run, or, I just go to sleep, wake up, and watch the replays that night or the next day.

What is your favorite restaurant in Las Vegas?

Hell’s Kitchen, Bottiglia at Green Valley Ranch

What do you like best about the NHC? 

The whole event itself and how well run it is along with seeing all the competitors in one place.

What are your ideas to improve the NHC? 

To have an Emcee at the awards dinner is fine and is needed, but for the actual contest, besides for Sponsor mentions, which we all understand is needed for the NTRA to do, the players do not need to be disturbed non-stop, unlike any other contest held.  This is the National Horseplayers Championship, and the players should be treated with that respect.  If players have questions, there is a desk for that.  There are also Q+A sessions before the contest for new entrants.  But… if they made it into the NHC, they already know what to do.