Only two online seats are left for the all-inclusive September 23-24 The BIG One at Laurel Park. That means just two vacancies to compete for at least $76,000 in cash, eight BCBC seats, 10 NHC seats and 10 HPWS entries (or $1,500 in cash if you prefer) against a field of no more than 57. And there’s a $500,000 lump sum bonus on the table if you win The BIG One and the 2018 NHC. So don’t miss this Sunday’s final qualifier. But there’s a lot more this weekend that you may not want to miss either.
We get things started in earnest 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 how many take part.
As with all pool-style games, the more that play, the more we pay. Contest races are the 6th through the 10th at Churchill Downs where it is opening day, the 6th, 8th and 9th from Belmont Park; and the 5th and6th from Arlington—10 races in all.
Using the same races, we’ll also host a Horse Player World Series entry-only qualifier (one of two on the weekend) for $87 with one in 20 in this Pick & Pray earning a $1,500 entry next March.
And at HorsePlayers on Friday, you can play in one of those always-popular $50 NHC qualifiers. Two NHC spots are guaranteed in this Pick & Pray, which uses the same races as the above two mentioned contests.
For Saturday and Sunday, most of our featured tourneys will be played in live-format mode.
On Saturday, we host our highest-paying 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 8th through 11th (all stakes!) at Churchill Downs, the 8th through 12th from Woodbine, where it is Woodbine Mile Day; and the 8th through 10th at Belmont. Of the 12 races, eight are stakes.
Also on the Saturday HorseTourneys schedule is an NHC Lower Ratio qualifier ($240 entry fee) and an entry-only qualifier to the Orleans Fall Classic ($58). Both of these Saturday qualifiers will run in live format.
There are co-features at HorsePlayers on Saturday and both are BCBC Pick & Prays.
One is a regular $179 qualifier with one entry per 65 winning and one $10,000 entry guaranteed. And the other is a Low Ratio qualifying opportunity for $500 with one in 23 advancing to what many consider the most exciting live-bankroll tourney anywhere.
On Sunday, we’ll know the final field (pending late $7,000 buy-in entries…which are limited to five) for The BIG One.
The BIG One qualifying swan song for 2017 is one of nine top-billed events at HorseTourneys on Sunday. Here’s a snapshot look at all of them:
Our single richest event on Sunday is our $15,000 Guaranteed tourney (live format) with $7,000 to the winner and payouts down to 7th. Entry is $195 with a limit of 86 entries.
The Sunday Exacta game will again be guaranteed at $2,500 though the pot could go as high as $5,000 depending on how many participate. Entry fees for the Sunday three-horse-exacta-box tourney are $72 each.
We’ll also play host to another 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. If you’re already going to be at Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge, this would be a terrific excuse to extend your stay (and perhaps visit the Gaslamp Quarter, the San Diego Zoo or the USS Midway aircraft carrier in between).
There are also qualifiers for two upcoming brick-and-mortar tournaments hosted by Gulfstream Park. For $116, you can play for an entry in Gulfstream’s Pick Your Spot Tournament on September 30. And for $480, you can really shoot for the stars and compete for a $12,500 package to the ultra-high-end Pegasus World Cup live-bankroll tournament on January 26-27.
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 rich, live-bankroll event.
There’s also another opportunity on Sunday to grab a $1,500 entry for the 2018 Horse Player World Series—via an $87 qualifier. It’s never too early to nail down and entry or two or three to this early-season major.
Last but certainly not least at HorseTourneys on Sunday is a $160 qualifier to the October 15 Keeneland NHC/BCBC Challenge with with one in 25 entries winning a $3,500 package to the land of Bluegrass—and Big Blue Nation.
There is a pair of Pick & Prays at HorsePlayers on Sunday.
One is a traditional NHC qualifier $179 with two seats guaranteed. The other is an untraditional—but very popular—BCBC Super Qualifier. It costs $1,000 to play this one and one in 11 entries will earn that much-desired $10,000 entry to compete during racing’s biggest weekend. One $10,000 prize is guaranteed and up to two consolation prizes will be awarded per each 13 entries.
Before we part ways, we want to wish the best of luck to the HorseTourneys qualifiers playing this Saturday for approximately $165,000 (Canadian) along with a pair of BCBC and NHC seats in the Woodbine Mile Handicapping Tournament.
And we wish you good luck this weekend as well. We hope you are able to spend at least a small part of it here with us.