NHC qualifiers scheduled for 2009

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and Daily Racing Form

(DRF) announced Thursday the 2009 year-long schedule of qualifying events

for the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC) which carries

an estimated total purse of $1 million. The schedule, which is subject to

changes and additions, is comprised of 101 events hosted at 42 different

racetracks, off-track wagering facilities, websites and casinos. Competitions

are scheduled to take place through late December. A full list of NHC qualifying

dates and venues can be viewed at

www.ntra.com/nhctour. Approximately 300 NHC qualifying berths will be

available via the qualifiers and the NHC Tour.

From March through November,

Twinspires.com will

offer spots in its second annual Leaderboard competition. Six players who top

the Twinspires.com Leaderboard competition will

earn a berth in the NHC as well as points per the NHC Tour point structure. A

total of 15 spots will also be up for grabs in the Twinspires.com Biggest Vegas

Qualifier Ever, which is set for November 21.

Registrations for the 2009 NHC Tour, a year-long bonus series, are being

accepted at www.ntra.com/nhctour. The

registration fee is $125. The NHC Tour offers additional prize money and

qualifying berths to the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC). The

NHC Tour is open only to officially registered contestants and will be based on

performances at NHC qualifying events throughout the year.

For the first time, the top five 2009 NHC Tour point scorers will now receive

automatic entry into NHC XII, which will be held in January 2011 in Las Vegas.

Berths for NHC XI in January 2010 will now be awarded to the top six 2009 NHC

Tour point scorers who have not otherwise qualified for NHC XI.

The official kick-off to the 2009 NHC Tour season took place at the inaugural

Red Rock Shootout on January 25 at Red Rock Resort, Casino and Spa in Las Vegas,

where the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship will be held for a third

consecutive year on January 23-24, 2010.

"The 2008 NHC Tour year attracted more than 900 participants, and this year

we hope to attract at least 1,000," said Keith Chamblin, senior vice president

for the NTRA. "We've made several improvements based on feedback from our

players, and we believe the Tour's new format for awarding NHC berths will do an

even better job of rewarding our top finishers."

In just its 11th year, the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship

has become the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the

culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted

by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities and horse racing

and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the

national finals.