$50,000 on the line

Handicappers from across North America will be descending on the Meadowlands Racetrack Saturday night for the chance to walk away with a guaranteed $50,000 first prize in the inaugural National Harness Handicapping Championship. Among the nearly 100 entrants will be Gordon Waterstone of The Horseman And Fair World magazine and harnessracing.com.



Potential entrants have until 10 p.m. on Friday night to complete the application and pay $900, which includes a $700 entry fee and a $200 bankroll.



Other entrants include a dentist from Woodbury, Long Island; a 21-year-old college student at Temple University; a professional boxing manager from Pittsburgh; a father and daughter team from Connecticut and a 71-year-old retired contractor from Wisconsin.



The winner of the NHHC will receive the title National Harness Handicapping Champion, the $50,000 guaranteed first prize, an airline voucher from Continental Airlines good for two tickets anywhere in the continental United States; a guest appearance on the Fox Sports Net's Racing from the Meadowlands and have their handicapping picks and picture posted on the Meadowlands website every Saturday for the remainder of the year.



Although many of the NHHC entrants are veterans to local handicapping events, some, like Jerry Falvey, a 71-year-old retired glass block and window contractor from West Allis, Wisconsin, made their first foray into a handicapping contest by entering their local NHHC qualifier. Falvey, who regularly visits Arlington Park and Maywood Park, won the Maywood Park qualifier on February 18.



"It was the first time I ever entered one of these things," said Falvey. "I wound up winning by hitting two longshots."



Sidney Zweigbaum, 21, a senior at Temple University majoring in broadcast journalism whose father once owned, trained and drove harness horses on the East Coast, earned his berth in the final by finishing a close second in the Meadowlands' qualifying contest in late February. The runner-up finish earned him $6,800 in prize earnings. He has a modest goal for the NHHC. "I just want to finish on the leader board," he said.



Rocco Musorofiti, 73, a retired police sergeant with the New London [Connecticut] Police Department, will be in the event with his daughter, Barbara Yuhas, to whom he finished second in the January Mohegan Sun qualifier.



"This is going to be a lot of fun," he said. "We enjoy entering the monthly handicapping events at Mohegan Sun, and this one should be memorable."



Tracks and wagering outlets across North America held NHHC qualifiers, with their winners and runner ups having their entry fees, bankrolls and travel paid for by the host establishment. Those finishing in the top 25 of any NHHC qualifier also received a voucher that could be applied to a discounted entry fee into the NHHC. Anyone can buy into the NHHC for $900.



The NHHC on April 2 will offer a guaranteed $50,000 prize to the winner and will pay out to the top 10 finishers. Entrants into the NHHC must bet a total of 10 races. Five are mandatory races selected by the NHHC panel from partner tracks - the Meadows, Northfield Park, Woodbine, Balmoral Park and Cal-Expo - plus the player's choice of five Meadowlands live races. Bets must be exactly $20 per race and only on one horse per race. Contest wagers may be win, place or a combination of the two, but must equal $20 on one horse only



Racing outlets that hosted NHHC qualifiers were: Balmoral, Buffalo Raceway, Cal-Expo, Capital-OTB, flamboro downs/The Harness Edge, Freehold, Maywood, Mohegan Sun, the Meadows, Meadowlands, Northfield Park, Saratoga Gaming & Racing, WinTicket.com, Woodbine Entertainment, Xpressbet.com and Youbet.com. (Meadowlands press release)

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