DeRosa's Blog

DEROSA'S BLOG

DECEMBER 13, 2013

Warren wins $10,000 by 10 cents

by Ed DeRosa

The biggest score of Bruce Warren's life might be just the

first step on a $50 parlay that leads to a $750,000 payday and an Eclipse Award

as the nation's top handicapper at the National Handicapping Championship

in Las Vegas January 24-26.

Warren, 56, of Melville, New York,

finished first in the TwinSpires Online Handicapping Championship to win

$10,000 and an entry to NHC 15. It's his biggest win in racing to date and the

first time he's qualified for the NHC.

"I haven't entered too many contests but have been an NHC

Tour member for a few years mainly in case I ever qualified from a free

tournament," Warren said. "I've done a few brick and mortar contests, but the

best I've ever finished is 10th or so, and I'm not a big bettor, so I've never

won close to this."

Warren won big bucks for the November 30 tournament at

TwinSpires.com, and he's in line for an even bigger payday at the NHC, but all

that separated him and the second-place competitor in the TwinSpires competition

is a dime, which Warren equated to the desperate nose of a horse who made

the lead too soon and just did hold on for victory.

"I was in first after the 10TH race (of 15), so I was in

more of a nervous state of wanting to hold on than getting excited about

winning," Warren said. "There's more pressure when you're in the lead, so I

didn't really enjoy the ride as much until it was over but then I realized what

a big thrill it was."

As far as strategy goes, Warren said that his primary goal

entering any tournament is not to overthink it, and he plans a similar approach

for the NHC.

"I'll handicap the races and my primary objective is to pick

whoever I think is going to win," Warren said. "If I think two horses are close

and one is 10-1 and the other is 8-5 then obviously I'll pick the 10-1

horse, but if I really like a horse I won't not pick him because he's the

favorite.

"I know some players won't consider a horse who's less than 8-1 or some

other arbitrary price, but I try to stay patient. If I need a big price later in

the tournament then I'll go for it, but I start out just trying to pick

winners."

Warren got into racing growing up on Long Island and

attending Roosevelt Raceway and Belmont Park as a teenager. He said he worked as

a groom in high school and always tried to get his friends to go to the track

with him in college. Warren's wife and several friends plan to go to Las Vegas

with him next month to cheer him on at the NHC.

"I fell in love with the sport from an early age and love

introducing people to the sport," Warren said. "To me, there's nothing better

than a freshly printed set of past performances. It's pages of puzzles, and I

absolutely love it."

Warren's publishing sales company, the Pegasus Group, does

work throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic regions, including printing a

directory for Meadowlands Racetrack.

Warren is one of 20 NHC qualifiers from the TwinSpires.com

championship that also will send 30 people to the Horseplayer World Series March

27-29 at the Orleans Casino in Las Vegas. In 2012, TwinSpires.com qualifier

Michael Beychok won the $1-million first prize at the NHC.

Your chance to qualify for those tournaments on

TwinSpires.com has passed (at least for this year), but

TwinSpires.com is giving away $5,000 on December 28 as part of its

holiday freeroll -- just bet $100/day for five days before Christmas to qualify

(see site for more details).