Rippey wins DRF/NTRA Championship

Ron Rippey, a Brisnet.com member, garners the grand prize   (Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com)

Ron Rippey, the Thoroughbred racing handicapper for the Newark Star-Ledger

newspaper, captured the seventh annual Daily Racing Form/National

Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship at Bally's

Las Vegas Hotel and Casino on Saturday. A member of Brisnet.com, the 61-year-old

resident of Wayne, New Jersey, hit a 17-1 shot in the last mandatory race of the

two-day tournament to walk away with the $250,000 grand prize and title

of Handicapper of the Year.

Rippey, who qualified at Connecticut OTB's Sports Haven, edged out

runner-up Mark Lowe of Bayonet Point, Florida, with a final bankroll of $237.20.

Lowe, who led after Friday's opening round and earned $100,000 for the place,

finished at $228.60, and Lexington, Kentucky's, Mel Moser took third with a

bankroll of $227.60 and received $50,000. The top three finishers are all

members of Brisnet.com.

Alluring Bel (General Meeting), a 17-1 shot trained by Jeff Mullins and

ridden by Michael Baze, captured Saturday's 10th race at Santa Anita by one length

to put Rippey over the top. The three-year-old filly was making her career bow

in the $32,000 maiden claiming event.

Rippey briefly led the contest on Friday

but finished Day 1 in 28th place. He rallied strongly Saturday to win over 224

other horseplayers in the field.

"It's an unbelievable feeling," Rippey said. "I picked this horse (Alluring

Bel) last night, and I wasn't going to play for second place. I figured (she)

would be 6 or 7-1, but was pleasantly surprised. It was all or nothing."

Thirteen of the top 18 finishers in the DRF/NTRA tournament are Brisnet.com

members.