Albano wins $140,000 Sports Haven Challenge

     New Haven, CT February, 14, 2005 - Going into the last race of the ninth annual $140,000 Sports Haven Handicapping Challenge Sunday, ten players had a chance of winning the contest and the first place prize of $50,000.

    As the a horses hit the wire, it was Jason Albano of Lindenhurst, New York who would be celebrating as Miss Loren won, giving the 29 –year old accountant the victory over 349 opponents in the richest thoroughbred handicapping contest outside of Las Vegas.

    “I kept to my strategy of picking horses that were 5-1 or better,” said Albano who was in 49^th place going into the second day of the two day contest. “”The horse was in good position at the top of the stretch and I just rooted her home.” Albano finished with a contest total of $12,020.

    Ron Rippey, a professional handicapper for the Newark Star- Ledger from Wayne, New Jersey, finished second, 950 contest dollars behind the winner. He had the lead after the first day of the contest (winning the first day prize money of $3,000) and was leading going into the last race. He earned $18,000. Finishing third was Josh Silverstein of Manor Haven, New York winning $10,000. He was second after the first day and was in second going into the last race, but his selection finished third.

    Albano won an additional $10,000 for having the highest point total on day two of the contest for a total of $60,000 in prize money. On Sunday, Albano had 7,940 contest dollars. In addition to scoring with Miss Loren, ($12.40) he won Gulfstream’s fifth race (Halo Jamerica, $12.80), Aqueduct’s ninth race (Bid for Silver, $24.60) and Gulfstream’s tenth race (Peace Pledge, $29.60). Andy Delucia of North Haven, CT was the second highest money winner (7.680) on Sunday winning $3,000 while Sebastian, Farmington, CT, (6,680) was third winning $2,000.

    Albano beat a tough field that included contestants from 17 states and Canada (as far as Vancouver and California). Seven of the previous Sports Haven Handicapping Challenge winners were in the contest as well as three Bradley Teletheater Challenge contest winners. 

   The top two finishers qualify for the 2006 National Thoroughbred Racing Association handicapping tournament which crowns the nation’s best handicapper.

    Contestants are given a daily bankroll of 2,000 contest dollars, which they use to make ten wagers on Aqueduct, Gulfstream and Santa Anita.  The person with the highest two day point total wins the contest.

     The best local finisher was John Iannuzzi of Meriden who finished sixth earning $4,100. Antonio D’Angelo of New Haven finished ninth earning $3,200.The complete order of finish can be found on www.ctotb.com.    

2004 Handicapping Contests Archive

Final Results (Feb. 13, 2005)

Contestants 26 - 350 (Click Here)

2005 Rules

Sports Haven Handicapping Challenge

1. Entry fee $400 (One entry per person, although in the event that the contest is not fully subscribed by Thursday, February 10, people may purchase an additional entry. People may have no more than two entries)  
2. Contest is limited to 350 entries. The contest is a two-day event that will be held Saturday, February 12 and Sunday, February 13, 2005.
3. The top two finishers in the Sports Haven contest will be eligible to compete in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Handicapping Championship tournament to be held in 2006 at a date to be determined in Las Vegas. NV sometime during the calendar year 2006 to be determined.  Air transportation and hotel accommodations will be paid for by Autotote Enterprises. 
4. If the contest is fully subscribed, there will be $140,000 in prize money. One hundred percent of the $140,000 will be returned as prize money. 
5. All prizes are aggregate and if ties exist, prize money will be divided equally by entrants finishing in all positions involved in the tie.
6. Five thousand dollars will be distributed to the first three finishers after the first day of the contest. The person in first place will receive $3,000.  The second place contestant will receive $1,500 and the third place finisher will receive $500.
7. On Sunday, February 13, there will be a $15,000 one-day contest. The person who accumulates the most contest money on the second day of the contest (Sunday) wins the one-day contest. First prize is $10,000. Second place is $3,000 and third $2,000
8. The remaining $120,000 will be distributed to the top 25 finishers after the two day event. (Order of finish is determined by combining the Saturday and Sunday scores).

   Contest awards (based on 350 entrants. Percentage based on $120,000) 1st…42%        $50,000  14…0.86%      $1,030 2nd…15%       $18,000 15…0.75%      $900 3rd.. 8.33%     $10,000 16…0.575%    $690 4… 6.26%       $7,500  17…0.55%      $660 5… 4.5%         $5,400 18…0.525%    $630 6… 3.40%       $4,100  19…0.50%      $600 7… 3.0%         $3,600  20…0.475%    $570 8… 2.8%         $3,360  21…0.45%      $540 9….2.65%       $3,200  22…0.425%    $510 10.. 2.3%         $2,760  23…0.40%      $480 11…1.55%      $1,860 24…0.375%    $450 12…1.3%        $1,560 25…0.33%      $400 13…1.0%        $1,200

9. The contest is for a two-day period. The races used will be from Aqueduct, Gulfstream, and Santa Anita (the FIRST EIGHT races at Santa Anita).  In the event that a track cancels, a substitute track, determined by the contest judges, will be used.

10. All entrants must be present to participate in the contest at Sports Haven. There will be no refunds.
11. Each entrant must make ten bets each day of the contest. Contest wagers must be made in increments of $50. Win, place and show bets only. No exotic wagers.
12. Each entry is allowed $2,000 maximum contest wagering dollars per contest day and a maximum of $200 per wager.
13. Each contest wager must be made on one horse for a total wager of $200. The bets must be for win, place and /or show. For example, a person may make a $100 win wager and a $50 place wager and a $50 show wager on one horse in a race. Contest wagers are limited to one horse per race. All multiple wagers per race or multiple horses per race are void and will not be credited or refunded (zero points /dollars). If any wagers are made for less than $200 contest dollars, the remaining amount will be void. For example, if an entrant wagers $100 to win on a horse and fails to wager the remaining $100 of the $200 wager, then $100 will be void. The entrant will only have a $100 bet on the race.
14. Any unused portion of the $2,000 in daily contest dollars become void once all contest races each day are completed. Any unused wagers will be worth zero dollars and will not be credited or refunded.
15. Wagers will be accepted at a designated area in Sports Haven. 
16. The entrant is responsible for ensuring that his entry form is correct. No changes will be allowed after the race involved has been closed.
17. The winner of the contest is the person who accumulates the most contest dollars for the two day contest.
18. The decision of the judges in all matters related to the contest is final.
19. All contestants must be at least 21 years of age.
20. Autotote reserves the right to fund the entry fees of invited members of the media or other individuals.
21. Winners are subject to all state and federal tax requirements.
22. The receipt of a registration form signifies the entrant’s acceptance of all rules and conditions stated herein.
23. All participants agree to have their name or image appear in any publicity material (posters, newsletters, programs, etc) and to be printed in any publication.
24. Officers and employees and their immediate families, of Autotote Corporation and its subsidiaries and the employees of the Division of Special Revenue, State of Connecticut, are not eligible to enter the contest.
25. The right is reserved to terminate, withdraw or modify this contest at any time without prior notice. In this event, all entry fees will be refunded.

Contest Scoring

1.   Net contest dollars will be awarded based on full pari-mutuel pay-offs, up to 20-1. The highest dollars awarded for a win will be $42. (For example, if a horse goes off at 30-1 and pays $62, the player will only be credited with $42). Place pay-offs will be calculated up to 10-1. The highest dollars awarded for place will be $22. Show pay-offs will be calculated up to 5-1. The highest show price will be $12.

2.   Losing wagers will count as zero contest dollars.

General Rules

1) All official track rules will apply to the horses wagered on in this contest except as otherwise stipulated. Contest dollars will be awarded based on official placement and mutuals at each designated track.

2) Entries and fields go as a single betting interest.

3) No turf only or dirt only wagers will be accepted.

4) If an entrant’s selection is scratched, the contestant will be credited the amount and allowed to re-bet as long as a designated contest race remains open for wagering during the day. Any unused wagers will be worth zero points and will not be credited or refunded.

5) Participants may not play a race in which they are the owner or trainer of an entered horse or whose immediate family member is an owner or trainer of an entered horse. In the event that a person makes a wager on a horse on which he has a relationship, owner/trainer or immediate family member, then the person’s wager will not count toward his score.  The wager will be forfeited and he will receive no points. 

NTRA Tie-Breaker

The first two finishers in the $140,000 Sports Haven Handicapping Challenge will qualify for the Daily Racing Form/ National Thoroughbred Racing Association tournament to be held January 2006 in Las Vegas.

In the event that there is a tie for second  place there will be a one- race playoff. The person who wins the playoff will qualify for the NTRA tournament. The playoff will not affect the prize money distribution.

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