Bettor wins by nose in Handicapping Challenge

It’s not often that one can get a front-row seat for an experience that will leave an indelible mark.

That happened to me at the $2.3 million Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Challenge last weekend at TI.

John O’Neil, of Huntington Station, N.Y., won the first prize of $800,000. He played a truly great tournament.

On the first day, he was 11th with $92.80. After the second day, he moved to second with $277.60. And after the third day, which included a final table of 10 horseplayers, O’Neil won with a score of $327.20.

But what made the tournament special was one of my best friends in horse racing, Kenny Jordan, finished second.

I had the chance to sit at Jordan’s table for a good portion of the three days and see him in action. Tournament play is exhilarating, especially if you’re doing well. Jordan made $250,000 for his NHC placing.

Jordan ended Day 1 in seventh with $95.00. He was the Day 2 leader with $283.30. And in a dramatic duel with O’Neil, he finished second with $291.70.

By the middle of Day 2 on Saturday, the NHC had turned into a two-horse race between O’Neil and Jordan. I could tell their play was similar. It wasn’t “cap” horses that were growing their scores, but consistently good handicapping of a lot of midpriced winners.

“Cap” horses are long shots of 20-1 odds or more. The win price is “capped,” typically at $42, to prevent rewarding tournament players from randomly stabbing at high-priced horses.

O’Neil and Jordan were trading punches like the great Ali-Frazier fights, each taking turns in front.

What I’ve learned, through knowing players such as Jordan and most likely O’Neil, is there is a methodology to all of this.

What has irked me to no end is that many picture tournament play as simply handicapping the tote board. It’s not as easy as picking horses with a slim chance at big odds and then hoping to get lucky with some of them.

Jordan did a half-hour interview Wednesday with Steve Byk on “At the Races” on Sirius satellite radio. It is 30 minutes worth listening to for any level of player. Jordan lays out the tools he uses to handicap with and practices the adage of “the harder you work, the luckier you get.”

We sat together and played in the 2014 Horseplayer World Series in March at The Orleans. Jordan finished seventh and ninth, and I was 10th. To say he was a big help is an understatement.

For Jordan to finish in the top 10 in the NHC and HWS is not potluck.

Another NHC player who earned a big tip of the hat is Jonathan Kinchen of Austin, Texas. Kinchen was a dual qualifier, meaning he had qualified twice for the event. After Day 2, his entries ended up fifth and seventh.

The 2015 NHC Tour has just begun. It cost only $50 to join. If you don’t think it’s worth trying, ask Jordan. The top 150 NHC Tour players qualified for this recent tournament. Jordan won his entry by finishing 148th.

Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick.