by Dan Leary, USTA director of marketing and communications

Columbus, OH — Free TrackMaster Platinum Past Performances for Northfield Park on Friday (Feb. 8) and Pompano Park on Saturday (Feb. 9) are available for the seventh and eighth in a series of 10 free, online qualifying contests to the $100,000 World Harness Handicapping Championship, which will be held at Meadowlands Racetrack on Saturday (April 13).

For complete information, to enter this weekend’s contests, and to get a link to free past performances on the TrackMaster website for the complete 15-race card at Northfield Park on Friday and all 11 races at Pompano Park on Saturday, visit www.HorseTourneys.com. The limit on entries for each contest has been increased from 1,000 to 1,250 for the four remaining qualifiers.

The link to free TrackMaster past performances will be posted at HorseTourneys.com two days before each contest. Check each contest page on that site for the time that selections can be made.

The USTA World Harness Handicapping Championship Free, Online Qualifying Series consists of 10 tournaments at 10 different USTA member tracks over five consecutive weekends that will continue through Feb. 16. The winner of each qualifier gains a berth ($1,000 value) into the WHHC final at the Meadowlands.

Contestants will be required to enter each week, starting at 9 a.m. on Monday morning for the upcoming weekend’s contests and can participate in any or all contests. Individual qualifier winners are only eligible for one entry into the final at the Meadowlands in April.

In each contest, contestants must select one horse and an alternate, in case of a late scratch, for a $2 Win-Place wager on each race at the featured track that evening. In the case of both selections being scratched, the contestant will receive the post time favorite. All selections must to be submitted prior to post time of the first race. A complete listing of rules and regulations is available at www.HorseTourneys.com.

Following is the remaining schedule with featured racetracks for the USTA Free, Online WHHC Qualifying Series:

Date–Track
Fri. Feb. 8–Northfield Park
Sat. Feb. 9–Pompano Park
Fri. Feb. 15–Northville Downs
Sat. Feb 16–Buffalo Raceway

The 2013 World Harness Handicapping Championship, which will bring together horseplayers from across North America to compete for $100,000 in prize money, marks a new partnership between the Meadowlands and the USTA. It was formed to create the industry’s ultimate handicapping tournament experience. Standardbred Canada will support the project by facilitating the participation of Canadian racing and wagering outlets.

Limited to just 100 entrants, the WHHC will be held as a one-day tournament, with a welcome reception and warm-up event the evening prior. Players may earn a seat in the WHHC through a qualifying event or through direct buy-in ($1,000) should enough spots remain as of April 1.

HorseTourneys.com is an online handicapping tournament website that is owned and operated by Ellis Park Race Course in Henderson, Ky. HorseTourneys.com offers handicappers the opportunity to qualify to horse racing’s major handicapping contest programs, including the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship, Horse Player World Series, World Harness Handicapping Championship, The BIG One at Ellis Park and several other major handicapping tournaments at racetracks and casinos around the country.