NHC Las Vegas. (Photo courtesy of NHC)
Learn about the competitors hoping to take home $800,000 grand prize and Eclipse Award as Horseplayer of the Year
NTRA Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The 25th National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) presented by Caesars Entertainment, Horseshoe Las Vegas, and Racetrack Television Network (RTN) kicks off this Friday, March 15, and runs through Sunday, March 17, at the Horseshoe Las Vegas. The field of nearly 750 entries, more than 600 individuals, ranging in age, experience, and number of NHC appearances, will yield one ultimate winner, who will go home with an estimated $800,000 and an Eclipse Award as the Horseplayer of the Year.
The competition features horseplayers representing 43 states and Canada. The youngest competitor in the field is also one of the competition’s 24 females – Katelyn Andaur at 22 years young. The oldest player that shall not be named is 88 years old. Three skilled players will be attending the NHC for their 22nd time – Sally Goodall, Paul Shurman, and Trey Stiles.
Of the 24 years of past champions, at least 13 will be returning to attempt to become the first repeat winner of the NHC – Steve Wolfson, Jr. (2003), James Michelson, Jr. (2005),
Stanley Bavlish (2007), Michael Beychok (2012), Jim Benes (2013), John O’Neil (2015),
Paul Matties, Jr (2016), Ray Arsenault (2017), Chris Littlemore (2018), Scott Coles (2019), Justin Mustari (2021), David Harrison (2022), Paul Calia (2023). Legend Judy Wagner (2001 Champion and the only female to take home the top prize) will be in attendance as a spectator and participating in Thursday’s Last Chance/First Chance Contest at the Horseshoe Las Vegas. While many NHC veterans will be returning, there will also be many fresh faces this year with 83 rookies competing, pending the results of Thursday’s Last Chance/First Chance Contest.
Six participants will be playing for a $1-million bonus opportunity courtesy of Hawthorne Race Course – Eddie Olczyk, Mike Mulvihill, David Gutfreund, Tony Zhou, Scott Coles, and Karl Broberg. The first and only two-time NHC Tour winner Kevin Costello will be playing for a $5 million bonus if he were to take home the NHC grand prize.
Also playing this year are all three members of the newest class of the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship Hall of Fame: Kevin ‘Duke’ Matties, Jim Meeks, and Brett Wiener. These three esteemed handicappers represent the tenth class of NHC Hall of Fame inductees. The three were voted by their peers for induction and will be celebrated at Sunday night’s awards ceremony.
All of the NHC participants qualified via contests hosted by 33 racetracks, casino race books, handicapping contest websites, Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) platforms, simulcast distribution networks, horse owner associations, media outlets, and other Thoroughbred racing organizations. Outlets that held qualifiers to the 2024 NHC included At the Races with Steve Byk, Breeders’ Cup, Canterbury Park, Delaware Park, Del Mar, FanDuel TV, Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Gulfstream Park, Hawthorne, Horseplayers.com, Horsetourneys.com, Horseshoe Indianapolis, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs, Laurel Park, Little Red Feather, Lone Star Park, Los Alamitos, Monmouth Park, NTRA, Race Lens, Remington Park, Sam Houston Race Park, Santa Anita Park, Saratoga Bets, Sport of Kings, Tampa Bay Downs, Thoroughbred Owners of California, Treasure Island, TwinSpires, Woodbine, and Xpressbet.
New to the 25th NHC will be a Final Table livestream, co-hosted by Steve Byk and Rick Hammerle, that will be streamed on NTRA’s X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Website for the final seven races of the Championship. The Final Table also will air on RTN and atwww.SteveByk.com/listen-live-SiriusXM. Interested spectators will have the ability to watch and listen to the action unfurling all weekend long at the NHC. Rachel McLaughlin, Racing Analyst at Horseshoe Indianapolis, will be providing coverage throughout the weekend on all NTRA social media platforms.
Additionally, At the Races with Steve Byk will broadcast live on SiriusXM satellite radio (Sirius 219; XM 201) from the Horseshoe Las Vegas and online at www.stevebyk.com daily, from 9-12 p.m. ET/6-9 a .m. PT on Friday and Monday, with bonus NHC coverage at www.SteveByk.com/listen-live-SiriusXM slated for 2-8 p.m. ET/11 a.m.-5 p.m. PT) next Friday-Sunday. America’s Best Racing and Hawthorne Race Course will also be streaming live from the event.
In addition to its three presenting sponsors ― Caesars Entertainment, Horseshoe Las Vegas and RTN ― the NHC is supported by official partners Daily Racing Form, EquinEdge, Crown’s Way Racing, and Race Lens.
All information on the 25th NHC can be found at www.ntra.com/nhc including the 2024 full schedule of events, the 2024 Official Rules, and more. To sign up for the 2024 NHC Tour and win your way to next year’s NHC visit to www.ntra.com/membership.
