TEAM EMERALD INVADES LAS VEGAS
FOR $1.5 MILLION NHC
AUBURN, Wash. (January 25, 2013) – Emerald Downs has a strong presence at the 14th annual Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship on Friday and Saturday at the Treasure Island Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Emerald Downs placed six finalists in the $1.5 million two-day event, with the winner earning $750,000 and an Eclipse Award as Handicapper of the Year.
Representing “Team Emerald” are: Dave Mahy, Vancouver B.C.; Dan Comoro, Tigard, Ore; Kenneth Evans, Spanaway; Grant Rimer, Vancouver, B.C., Dave Brownfield, Seattle, and John Johnson, Lake Forest. They all earned all expenses paid trips to NHC with strong showings at the Emerald Qualifying Tournament last June. In fact, that 300-entrant event was so competitive that four of the top five finishers, including winner Christopher Larmey of Kennewick, had already qualified for the NHC, thus the five Emerald Downs qualifying berths went to the third, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth-place finishers.
In the NHC, the Emerald contingent faces 453 other qualifiers in an epic battle that will decide the 2013 Handicapper of the Year and the $750,000 first prize. In all, 40 players will win checks ranging from $200,000 to the runner-up to $4,100 to the 31st to 40th place finishers.
Emerald Downs promotion manager Hilary Hutchison is in Las Vegas and tweeting live updates on Team Emerald (@Hilary Hutchison), and Daily Racing Form also is providing updated coverage at drf.com/NHC.
Players make 15 mythical $2 win and place bets on each of the two days, with eight races being mandatory and the other seven the players’ choice; Contestants also make one “best bet” each day worth $4 win and place. Prices are capped at 20-to-1 on win wagers and 10-to-1 on place bets.
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