The 2017 NHC Tour will be the richest in its 10-year history with a record prize pool totaling $400,000 up for grabs in 2017, it was announced Thursday. The NTRA National Horseplayers Championship Tour (NHC Tour) is a year-long bonus series offering additional prize money and qualifying berths to the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), the world's richest handicapping contest, formerly known as the NTRA National Handicapping Championship.
This year's NHC Tour prize pool represents a 27% increase from the $315,000 offered in 2016. The NHC Tour champion will win $100,000 (up from $75,000 in 2016), with $50,000 to the runner-up, $25,000 to third, $17,500 to fourth, and $10,000 to fifth. The top 20 finishers on the NHC Tour will win prize money, with sixth through 20th paying on a declining scale from $9,000 to $2,000.
“This record prize money for the NHC Tour is a reflection of what continues to be unabated growth and interest in the NHC and NHC Tour,” said NTRA President and Chief Executive Officer Alex Waldrop.
Additionally, the NTRA also noted that Equibase Company, the racing industry's official database, is the new official data provider of the NHC and the NHC Tour, and its STATS Race Lens interactive past performance product will be a presenting sponsor of the NHC. The Lexington-based luxury charter service LUXAIR Jets has acquired the naming rights for all NHC and NHC Tour leaderboards.
NHC Tour membership is mandatory to be eligible to qualify for the NHC. Membership includes free entry into five online “members only” contests offering a record 25 NHC berths (five more than in last year's free online qualifiers). Those contests are set for Apr. 8, May 13, June 10, July 30, and Sept. 2. The 19th NTRA National Horseplayers Championship Presented by RTN, STATS Race Lens and Treasure Island Las Vegas will be held Feb. 9-11, 2018, at Treasure Island in Las Vegas.
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