Tom Rooney

The winner of the 2027 National Horseplayers Championship will receive an updated cash prize of $1,000,000 along with a coveted Eclipse Award symbolically recognizing the important contribution all horseplayers make to the sport, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced Thursday. The 2027 NHC, presented by Caesars Race and Sportsbook, Racetrack Television Network (RTN) and Horseshoe Las Vegas, will be held March 5-7, 2027, at the Horseshoe. "Since its launch in 1999, the National Horseplayers Championship has realized unprecedented growth thanks to sustained participation by horseplayers and our members and partners...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) presented the first-ever NTRA Statesman of the Year Award to Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Tuesday at its 4th Annual Kentucky Derby Kickoff Reception on Capitol Hill, the organization said in a press release on Friday. The award recognizes a lawmaker who has worked to improve the Thoroughbred racing industry. "The Senator from Kentucky has been a champion for our industry in Washington for over four decades," said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. "He has helped make our sport safer and been a...

It's a busy time for NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney as there are some important issues facing horse racing that are being addressed in the nation's capital. Most notably, is the provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill that allows gamblers to deduct only 90 percent of their losses from their winnings. If nothing is done to change that, it will likely have a serious impact on the sport and drive many big bettors out of the game. Bills have been introduced that would allow gamblers to again write...

The NTRA's Tom Rooney joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss the impending federal tax on gambling, the SAFE Act, another successful NHC, and more.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and Caesars Entertainment have entered into a multi-year agreement that will keep the Horseshoe Las Vegas as the host venue for the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) through 2029. The dates for the upcoming NHC are: Mar. 5-7, 2027; Mar. 3-5, 2028; and Mar. 9-11, 2029. "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Caesars Entertainment and Horseshoe Las Vegas," said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. "Since moving to Horseshoe in 2020, the NHC has seen tremendous growth in player participation, sponsor involvement, and...

The NTRA will match all horseplayer donations up to $5,000 to support Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at the upcoming NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC). The event will take place at the Horseshoe Las Vegas Hotel and Casino from March 13-15, 2026. "Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance plays a vital role in promoting responsible aftercare across our sport," said Tom Rooney, President & CEO, NTRA. "We're proud to feature their mission at the National Horseplayers Championship and to support initiatives that strengthen racing's long-term integrity."

It's a piece of legislation not introduced yet, but that didn't stop two industry leaders from discussing at last week's racing symposium in Arizona a proposed immigration change that could alter the way the sport's workforce seeks employment here legally. At the symposium, Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) CEO Lisa Lazarus reportedly discussed a plan to expand P Visas to include equine workers with a built-in funding mechanism for the organization, according to BloodHorse. Currently, the backstretch workforce falls under the umbrella of the Fair Labor Standards Act, limiting...

Tom Rooney, the president and chief executive officer of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), said Wednesday that the focus of his organization's current lobbying efforts in Congress is getting a recently enacted tax law reversed so horse race bettors can go back to deducting 100% of their gambling losses instead of the 90% that was imposed by passage of the sweeping One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) signed into law July 4. The NTRA has estimated that the financial hit to the racing industry because of this tax change...

One lucky fan and a guest can win a chance to attend the 55th Annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards presented by John Deere, The Jockey Club, and the NTRA as part of the Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards Sweepstakes, it was announced Tuesday. The grand prize winner and their guest will also accompany Resolute Racing at the Pegasus World Cup. The grand prize includes airfare, hotel, and two tickets to the Eclipse Awards to be held Jan. 22, 2026, at The Breakers Palm Beach, as well as tickets to the Pegasus...

Oaklawn Park will host a pair of major live horseplayer contests to be held during Southwest Stakes Weekend in 2026, the track announced Friday. The new events, the Southwest Showdown on Saturday, Jan. 31, and the Oaklawn Horseplayer Championship on Sunday, Feb. 1, will bring together top horseplayers from across the country to Oaklawn for a high-stakes competition offering Last Chance/First Chance seats to the 2026 or 2027 National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), 2026 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC), and cash prizes. "We are excited to introduce a marquee horseplayer contest...

The 55th Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards will be held Thursday, Jan. 22 at The Breakers Palm Beach and tickets are now on sale for the black-tie event. The link to purchase is found here. The event is scheduled to begin at 6:00p.m. EDT with the cocktail party and red carpet show, followed by the dinner and awards ceremony at 7:00p.m. EDT. The after-party will follow at the conclusion of the Eclipse Awards at 10:45p.m. EDT. All evening events will be held in the Ponce de Leon Foyer and Ballroom. Britney...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has released a new campaign advocating for passage of a bill that would repeal a wagering tax as part of legislation passed by Congress earlier this year, the NTRA announced Tuesday. As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) signed into law July 4, there was a tax change regarding wagering losses--reducing the deduction from 100% to 90%. In response, Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr has introduced the WAGER Act (Winnings and Gains Expense Restoration Act), new legislation which would restore the deduction back...