This year's NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), which kicks off Friday, March 14 at Horseshoe Las Vegas, will have a record 800 entries and record cash and prizes totaling $4,878,415, including more than $3 million in cash prizes.
The NHC field and purse were finalized following Thursday's Last Chance/First Chance qualifier that attracted a record 1,002 entries, a more than 13% increase above last year's previous record of 884. Thursday's Last Chance/First Chance Contest yielded 32 coveted berths into this weekend's NHC and another 14 berths into the 2026 NHC for those who already had two entries into the 2025 NHC.
Kerry Bassore of Albuquerque, New Mexico, won his second seat into the 26th NHC and took home the grand prize of $27,054 in the Last Chance/First Change Contest. Bassore, who put together a mythical bankroll of $154.84, edged Louis Masry of Solana Beach, California, who totaled $154.50. Bassore, who will be playing in his eighth NHC, made his major scores at Fair Grounds, gaining $36.20 in the fifth race and amassing $54.20 on the seventh race on win/place bets at the New Orleans track. He hit a place ticket for $8.04 on Retail Therapy on Turfway Park's second race, the last race in the contest, which put him over the top.
Thursday's Last Chance/First Chance Contest required participants to make 11 win-pace wagers from a menu of 28 races from Colonial Downs, Fair Grounds, Gulfstream Park and Turfway Park.
The official prize structure for the NHC Final Table is as follows:
1. $ 825,000
2. $ 250,000
3. $ 200,000
4. $ 150,000
5. $ 125,000
6. $ 90,000
7. $ 85,000
8. $ 80,000
9. $ 75,000
10. $ 65,000
The NHC is the world's richest and most prestigious handicapping contest. NHC participants must qualify into the NHC through an NTRA-sanctioned contest held throughout the year. There are no buy-ins. The tournament format for the NHC is meant to be the best possible test of picking winners. Players attempt to earn the highest possible bankroll based on mythical $2 Win/Place wagers on races from eight racetracks.
The NHC field will be reduced to the top 10% of players after the first two days. The highest 10 cumulative scores after the Semifinal round on Sunday morning will fill out the Final Table. Bankrolls amassed during Day 1, Day 2 and the Semifinals round will roll over to the Final Table, with the 10 finalists settling the NHC score in seven "mandatory" assigned races.
The 26th NHC is presented by Caesars Sportsbook, Horseshoe Las Vegas, and RTN and is supported by official partners Brisnet, Daily Racing Form, EquinEdge, Race Lens and Twinspires. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) and the Permanent Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) are the official charities of the NHC.
America's Best Racing (ABR) kicks off three days of live-streaming coverage from the 2025 NHC tournament floor on Friday beginning at 9am PT/Noon ET. Coverage will continue on Saturday at about 2:30pm PT/5:30 ET, hours before the cutoff for Sunday's final day. The NHC Final Table coverage will stream live on Sunday beginning at approximately Noon PT/3:00pm ET. The shows can be watched on both NTRA and ABR YouTube, Facebook and X channels. Link to Friday's stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzjBxnhlUwQ
At the Races with Steve Byk will broadcast live on SiriusXM satellite radio (Sirius 219; XM 201) from the Horseshoe Las Vegas and online at www.stevebyk.com daily, from 9-12 p.m. ET/6-9 a .m. PT on Friday and Monday, with bonus NHC coverage at www.SteveByk.com/listen-live-SiriusXM slated for 2-8 p.m. ET/11 a.m.-5 p.m. PT next Friday-Sunday. America's Best Racing and Hawthorne Race Course will also be streaming live from the event.
NTRA Charity Challenge Tournament on Saturday and the Silver Sunday Contest
Also a part of the 26th NHC program will be Saturday's 11th annual $10,000 NHC Charity Challenge presented by NTRA Charities. This invitational contest will benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), plus the winner's own charity of choice. Approximately 100 individuals will be invited to play in the contest, which will encompass eight mandatory races from the NHC tracks on the Saturday program. Contributions of $2,500 will be made to both the PDJF and the TAA in the name of the winner and the winner will select a charity to receive $5,000.
Jamie Haydon, president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, won last year's Charity Challenge. Haydon is expected to face these past winners: Jude Feld (2023), Michael Canale (2022), Jimmy McNerney (2021), Jude Feld (2020), Dawn Lupul (2019), Ed DeRosa (2018), and Matt Bernier (2016). Inaugural winner Bob Neumeier passed away in October 2021. Ellis Starr, National Racing Analyst for Equibase and the 2017 Charity Challenge winner, won't be playing as he is double qualified and participating in the 26th NHC.
All information on the 26th NHC can be found here. To sign up for the 2025 NHC Tour and win your way to next year's NHC visit to www.ntra.com/membership.
