East Rutherford, NJ — The 2020 World Harness Handicapping Championship will be held at Meadowlands on April 18 with an estimated prize pool of $150,000. Jim Videtic, the 2018 WHHC champion, narrowly missed repeating in 2019, and this year will return vying to become the first two-time winner.

The Cleveland, Ohio, native took home $43,652 for his victory that year, and was just a couple races away from repeating, when he was edged out of first place by eventual 2019 WHHC champion Russell Slader in the penultimate race of the contest held at Meadowlands last April.

“There was a photo finish, and I thought my horse had actually won,” Videtic said. “Had that been swapped around, I would have won my second WHHC. It wasn’t meant to be so I’ll have to get back at it this year.”

The WHHC contest format provides each player with a $300 bankroll and requires players to wager on 10 races from the Meadowlands and other tracks. A contest entry is $1,300, which includes the player’s bankroll.  Players can qualify for the 2020 WHHC online at DerbyWars.com or in live qualifiers at the Meadowlands or other participating tracks including Hawthorne Race Course and Buffalo Raceway. 

In going for a second WHHC win, Videtic recognizes that it would be a rare accomplishment and looks forward to the opportunity to make WHHC history.

“I don’t think anyone has won any of the major handicapping tournaments twice, whether it’s the WHHC, the NHC (National Handicapping Championship), the Breeders’ Cup Betting Championship or Horseplayers World Series,” he said. “To be able to win any of those twice would be quite an accomplishment.

“It’s my favorite track to play. I grew up on harness racing. I love Meadowlands,” said Videtic. “For me, I have a great feel for the track. The racing there is always competitive. The broadcast team is the best in the business, in Thoroughbred or harness racing.”

A proponent of trip handicapping and watching replays, Videtic also relies on the TrackMaster programs. 

“For me, the trip means a lot,” he said. “It’s important in Thoroughbred racing, but in harness racing, it can really make or break you. If you get locked in, stuck first over behind dead cover – there’s only so much you can read off the racing lines. A lot of my success that I’ve had in the WHHC has come from pouring over replays and making trip notes.

“Long term, my ultimate goal is to add a major Thoroughbred championship to my WHHC. To be the first contest player to win in both harness and Thoroughbred would be pretty cool.”

2019 WHHC Top 10 Finishers: