from the USTA Communications Department

Columbus, OH — Adam Friedland from Brooklyn, N.Y., Brian Volakos of Forest Park, Ill. and Scott Nelson from Murrieta, Calif., each won a berth to the World Harness Handicapping Championship at The Meadowlands on April 25 by winning a contest involving races from a track near them in the USTA’s Free, Online WHHC Qualifying Series.

Friedland won on races from The Meadowlands, Volakos from Balmoral Park and Nelson with Cal Expo racing in contests held online over the weekend at www.HorseTourneys.com.

Friedland, who amassed the highest bankroll in any of the first three contests, won with $142.40 on Friday night wagering mythical $2 Win-Place bets on the first 12 races at The Meadowlands. Joe Mike finished second with $132.60 and Peter Zweigbaum’s $113.00 was third best.

In the closest contest of the weekend, Volakos ($104.60) beat second-place finisher Michael Capioso ($101.60) by only three dollars on races from Balmoral Park Saturday night. Michael Dority was third with $98.20.

On Sunday, Nelson finished with a bankroll of $141.60 wagering on Cal Expo. Harry Rayzian with $126.10 was the runner-up, just twenty cents ahead of Dino Parrella ($125.90).

The next three contests in the series of 10 USTA Free, Online Qualifiers to the WHHC take place this weekend with races from Yonkers Raceway (7:10 p.m. EST) on Friday (March 6), Miami Valley Racing (6:30 p.m. EST) on Saturday (March 7) and Pompano Park (7:30 p.m. EDT) on Sunday (March 8).

Contestants can enter free at www.HorseTourneys.com prior to the start of the first race. Free TrackMaster Platinum Past Performances will be available on that site approximately 48 hours before each contest.

Following are the results/schedule with featured racetracks for the 2015 USTA Free, Online WHHC Qualifying Series:

Date–Track–Winner/Time (ET)
Fri. (Feb. 27)–Meadowlands–Adam Friedland (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Sat. (Feb. 28)–Balmoral Park–Brian Volakos (Forest Park, Ill.)
Sun. (March 1)–Cal Expo–Scott Nelson (Murrieta, Calif.)

Fri. (March 6)–Yonkers Raceway–7:10 p.m.
Sat. (March 7)–Miami Valley Raceway–6:30 p.m.
Sun. (March 8)–Pompano Park–7:30 p.m.

Fri. (March 13)–Maywood Park–8:10 p.m. (7:10 p.m. Central)
Sat. (March 14)–Buffalo Raceway–6:35 p.m.

Fri. (March 20)–Saratoga Raceway–6:45 p.m.
Sat. (March 21)–Northville Downs–7:30 p.m.