Qualifying action heating up

The big news in the contest world last weekend was Eric Moomey, the 2014 National Handicapping Championship Tour winner, finding himself back in the winner’s circle at the Ultimate Betting Challenge.

Moomey, who bested a strong field by running up his starting bankroll to more than $17,000, played from Santa Anita. This weekend, DRF Tournaments is hosting the first feeders for the Santa Anita Preakness Challenge, a live-bankroll tournament to be held over Preakness weekend at the Great Race Place.

The featured contest action on DRF Tournaments kicks off Saturday with two qualifiers and a credit builder.

Players interested in participating in Monmouth’s Pick Your Prize event in June will have an opportunity to win in for $126. One in 23 entries will win their $2,500 Monmouth entries plus $500 in travel. The Pick Your Prize contest is a live-bankroll event on Saturday, June 3.

You wouldn’t know it from the weather this week in the Northeast, but spring is just around the corner. And what better harbinger of spring is there than making your travel plans to Keeneland? Players interested in playing in the Grade One Gamble on Sunday, April 23, can put up $162 on Saturday. One in 25 will win their $3,000 entries plus $500 in travel.

Saturday’s third featured event is an all-in credit builder with a projected purse of $3,000. It costs $50 to play, and assuming a full field of 68, the winner will receive $1,200 in site credit. It’s a great way to fund your upcoming contest play.

The most time-sensitive event of the weekend is Sunday’s Horse Player World Series qualifier. The HPWS begins March 30 and is a three-day, mythical-money marathon. Sunday’s contest costs $90 to play, and one in 19 entries will win their $1,500 HPWS buy-ins.

The richest prize of the weekend is also on offer Sunday. There is a $400 buy-in, and one in 22 entries will receive their $7,000 seats and $500 in travel for the Del Mar Handicapping Challenge in July.

Finally, for $108, players can compete for seats to the Wynn Challenge on Aug. 4-5. One in 27 entries will win $2,000 Wynn seats plus $500 in travel. The Wynn contest is a mythicalmoney event focusing on Del Mar and Saratoga that takes place at the Wynn Las Vegas.

There are many other lowerbuy-in contests on DRF Tournaments as well Wednesday through Sunday most weeks. Players can choose between feeders, credit builders, and matchup contests, depending on their bankrolls and goals. Be sure to check out the new fiveplayer winner-takes-all creditbuilder contests.

For more information, including a list of which races will be used for each contest, go to tournaments.drf.com.