Columnist Ralph Siraco: Race bettors gather for shot at bonanza

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Jan. 13, 2003 | 9:02 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.

Horse racing has always been a part of the gaming terrain in Las Vegas. High-tech race books beam in hundreds of races per day from racing centers all over the country, be they big race tracks, small race tracks, famous race tracks and not-so-famous racing emporiums.

And, like all other aspects of gaming, Las Vegas also serves as an epicenter for big gaming events.

This week, Las Vegas will play host to race handicappers and tournament horseplayers from around the world as two major horse race handicapping tournaments will run Thursday-Sunday.

The Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship will be featured at Bally's Las Vegas. This pre-qualifying event has quickly become the U.S.Open of horse race tournaments. To qualify for a shot at the $100,000 first prize, players had to win regional NTRA-sanctioned handicapping tournaments, which were conducted throughout the year by race tracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities and racing Websites.

A record field of 213 horseplayers representing 53 qualifying sites throughout the U.S. and Canada will square off for the first-prize money and the "Handicapper of the Year" title, with an awards presentation set for Jan. 27 at thoroughbred racing's annual Eclipse Awards in California.

Defending champion Herman Miller of Oakland, Calif., heads a field that includes seven Nevadans:

For those who could not or did not qualify for the DRF/NTRA tournament, Coast Casinos will present the richest added-money horse race tournament at their Suncoast and Barbary Coast properties. The industry leader of race tournaments has sweetened the already swelling prize fund of the "Coast-2-Coast Super Tournament" with an additional $75,000.

Unlike the DRF/NTRA version, the Coast-2-Coast competition costs only a $500 entry fee to qualify. There are no satellite competitions or pre-qualifying.

This will be the first time in the brief but burgeoning history of Las Vegas tournaments that two will be conducted simultaneously. But the players and customers have warmed to the idea. Because those who want to participate but didn't qualify for the DRF/NTRA tournament can now play for big bucks, the Barbary Coast location has already received entries from DRF/NTRA contestants, giving those a chance to play both.

And, like the famous poker tournaments hosted in Las Vegas, the side games can be more interesting and/or lucrative than the main event. Players are set to tee-it-up in the race books for a little cash action as well this week.

With prize monies of $212,000 for the DRF/NTRA competition and the expected $315,000 (based on 480 entries) up for grabs in the Coast-2-Coast confab, the race book action this week should warm up the upcoming Super Bowl betting blitz.