National Handicapping Challenge returns to TI

The 17th annual Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship began Thursday at TI. The total purse is a record $2.77 million.

The three-day NHC will conclude late Saturday when a Final Table of 10 will compete for a top prize of $800,000. On the first two days, players will try to finish in the top 10 percent, 63 players, to join the semifinal round Saturday. The 63 will be whittled to 10, and then the Final Table players must all play the same seven mandatory races.

The NHC has taken place all 17 years in Las Vegas. The host casinos include the MGM Grand, Bally's, Red Rock and TI, which will host it for a fifth time in 2017.

The one player with a target on his back is Jonathon Kinchen, of Austin, Texas, who was the 2015 NHC Tour champion. The Tour title was worth $75,000. He is the lone player eligible for a $2 million bonus should he win this tournament. Add in the $800,000 first prize and he is looking at a $2.8 million NHC payday.

Defending champion John O'Neil earned an automatic berth to try to repeat. There never has been a two time winner of the NHC, which underscores the difficulty of the competition. These former champions are hoping to rewrite history: Jose Arias (2014), Jim Benes (2013), Michael Beychok (2012), Brian Troop (2010), Richard Goodall (2008) and Stanley Bavlish (2007).

Updates will be available at DRF.com. Also, At the Races with Steve Byk will broadcast live all three days from TI, and I will be joining him at times.

* NEVADA CONTESTANTS — Thirteen NHC qualifiers listed Nevada as their residence, and four were dual qualifiers: Stanley Bavlish, Steve Bragg, Benjamin Coppola, Chris Goodall, Richard Goodall (2), Sally Goodall (2), Daniel Hawkins, Mark Henderson, Nicholas Masesso, Jim Meeks (2), Michael Ray (2), Rocky Rutledge and Steve Turner.

* TARGET SCORE — One thing about playing in handicapping tournaments is this: History will show you the way. The scores of former winners can provide an accurate target of what to aim for this year. John O'Neil won last year with a $327.20 total. Ken Jordan was second with $291.70.

* NHC HALL OF FAME — Steven Crist, publisher of the Daily Racing Form, and Judy Wagner, winner of the 2001 NHC, will be inducted into the NHC Hall of Fame. Crist was a driving force for the origin of the NHC.

The NHC Hall of Fame began last year with an inaugural class of the late Mike Mayo and Ron Rippey.

* WAGER TO WIN QUALIFIER — The first qualifier for NHC 2017 will be at TI on Sunday in the upstairs ballroom. The entry fee is $300, two entries maximum. There will be a limit of 300 total entries. The top three finishers will win a berth into the 2017 NHC at TI.

What I love about this format is 100 percent of entry fees will be paid back to the players in prize money. I tip my hat to Tony Nevill, director of race and sports, and Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin for treating horseplayers right.

The format will be six mandatory races and seven player's choice races. It is still to be determined which tracks will be used. 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