One Nail-Biting Step Toward Qualifying for NHC

Sunday proved relatively productive for NJ Horseplayer, with a 12th-place finish (out of 209) in the HorseTourneys.com NHC Preliminary Feed-In Tournament producing a $195 credit for entry to one of the site's National Handicapping Championship qualifiers.

Today's $20 entry fee to today's tournament ultimately proved worth it, considering a few impressive wins, credible long-shot handicapping, and that likely I was less than a head away from finishing at least in the top 3 with a 21-to-1 shot (Passing Game in the 8th from Santa Anita).

The 10-race tournament got off to a good start, with 9-to-1 winner Travel Advisory in the 7th from Fair Grounds putting my bankroll at $32.20 with about 30 other players.  I hit the board in the 3rd contest race ($3 of place money) and went cold for 4 more, but got rolling in the final three races from Santa Anita.

Uncanny resemblance to NJ
Horseplayer's pet, "Mr. Cat"

Spending Smart was a huge overlay at 14-to-1 off a 6-to-1 morning line and was in-the-money in two attempts from 7 furlongs, and the quick early pace in the $62,500 optional claimer set up perfectly for this 5-year-old gelding son of Smarty Jones, who paid $30 to win and $11 to place, elevating me to 15th-place with two races remaining in the contest.  Passing Game just missed in the next, beat out by another $30 winner, which pushed me down to a tenuous 20th-place with a race to go.

Unimpressed by anyone in particular in the finale, an $8k claimer at 6 furlongs, I landed on 5-to-2 Folk Dancer, who finished 3rd in his last two outings, including a $12.5k claimer and a race prior where he was steadied hard.  I knew I needed at least an in-the-money finish to advance, and recent form seemed to be a credible angle in a field where the hot-riding Eswan Flores appeared the only credible foe on 5-to-1 Sizzling Gold, who ended up finishing second by a neck.  Dancer's victory assured me a spot in the Top 21.

If nothing else, the finish gives me a 1-in-50 shot at qualifying for an NHC seat (HorseTourneys.com is rewarding up to 12 NHC spots in March), whether it be next Sunday's tournament or one at a later date.  For tonight, however, it lets me rest a little bit easier that I am gaining as a handicapper and at some point will reach Las Vegas.