Forty-six of 50 available online spots for the September 23-24 The BIG One at Laurel Park are spoken for. And since our weekly qualifiers guarantee two spots per weekend, that means that only two opportunities to qualify remain. This week’s comes on Sunday—but there’s plenty more action where that came from.
We get the weekend festivities rolling on Friday with a $6,000 Guaranteed Pick & Pray with pool-style payoffs that could allow the pot to go as high as $10,000 depending on participation. And there’s also a Horse Player World Series entry-only qualifier (one of two during the weekend).
Contest races for the two featured HorseTourneys games are the 6th, 7th and 8th from Indiana Grand, the 7th, 8th and 9th from Belmont Park (where it is opening day) and the 5th through 8th from Arlington—10 races in all.
Using the same races, we’ll also host a Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge Low Ratio qualifier at HorsePlayers on Friday.
The entry fee for this live-format contest is $500 and one entry in 26 will earn a $10,000 entry. There will be up to three consolation prizes awarded as well and one BCBC entry is guaranteed.
On Saturday, we host our richest game of the weekend—a $25,000 Guaranteed Pick & Pray with $12,500 to the winner and prizes down to 8th place. Contest races are the 5th through 10th at Kentucky Downs, the 7th, 9th and 10th at Belmont and the 6th through 8th at Arlington. Of the 12 races, seven are stakes (four at Kentucky Downs and three at Arlington).
Also on the Saturday HorseTourneys schedule are qualifiers to the Keeneland NHC/BCBC Challenge ($160 entry fee) and an entry-only qualifier to the Orleans Fall Classic ($58). Both of these Saturday qualifiers will utilize the Pick & Pray format.
The Saturday feature at HorsePlayers is a live-format NHC qualifier.
Two NHC seats are guaranteed and one in 65 will punch a ticket to Vegas. Entry fee is $165.
On Sunday, we’ll learn the identities of the 47th and 48th persons to win a seat at HorseTourneys for The BIG One. Held at Laurel on September 23-24, The BIG One offers eight BCBC entries, 10 NHC seats, 10 HPWS entries plus at least $73,000 in cash, though that figure will increase between now and the 23rd (see the dedicated page on HorseTourneys for latest purse information). Remember that there will be no more than 57 in the final field for The BIG One, and packages are all-inclusive.
The BIG One is one of nine featured contests at HorseTourneys on Sunday. Here’s a visual of all of them:
Our single richest event on Sunday is our $15,000 Guaranteed Pick & Pray with $7,000 to the winner and payouts down to 7th. Entry is $195 with a limit of 86 entries.
Sticking with the cash side of things, the Sunday Exacta game will again be guaranteed at $2,500 though the pot could go as high as $5,000 depending on signups. Entry fees for the Sunday three-horse-box tourney are $72 each.
On Sunday, we’ll host our second qualifier to the Del Mar Fall Classic on November 11-12. You can play this Pick & Pray for $236 with one in 25 winning a $4,500 entry plus $500 for travel.
Or, for a little less than half that entry fee ($116), you can take a shot at Gulfstream’s Pick Your Spot Tournament at the end of September.
For $255, there’s a Pick & Pray qualifier for the Santa Anita Autumn Championship on October 7-8. One in 25 will win a $5,500 package to this high-end, live bankroll event.
Sunday is also your very last chance to qualify for the September 16 Woodbine Mile Handicapping Tournament. One entry per 25 will earn a $3,500 (Canadian) buy-in and a $500 (U.S.) travel award. The format is Pick & Pray and the entry fee is $148. In addition to cash prizes, two NHC seats and two BCBC entries will be up for grabs. Not bad, eh?
There’s also another early chance to secure a $1,500 entry for the 2018 Horse Player World Series—via an $87 Pick & Pray.
Last but far from least at HorseTourneys on Sunday is a Lower Ratio NHC qualifier (Pick & Pray) with one in 45 entries at $240 each winning a package to Vegas for the big dance. Two seats are guaranteed and, if participation warrants, we’ll award up to four.
There is pair of live-format BCBC Pick & Prays at HorsePlayers on Sunday.
One is for the customary entry fee of $179 with one entry guaranteed and one per 65 winning a $10,000 entry. The other is a special BCBC super qualifier. This one costs $1,000, with one in 13 earning the $10,000 entry for the 2017 Breeders’ Cup weekend. One $10,000 prize is guaranteed and up to two consolation prizes will be awarded per each 13 entries.
Whether you’re making a late push for The BIG One or Woodbine…taking an early shot at the HPWS…or a weekly shot in a $25,000 or $15,000 game, we wish you good luck.
And most of all, we wish the very best to all of our friends in Florida and the Southeast this weekend. Our thoughts are with you.