Sean Loebs, of Cresskill, New Jersey, captured the qualifier for the World Harness Handicapping Championship held Saturday, Feb. 19 at Meadowlands Racetrack.
The $200 qualifier required contestants to place at least 10 $10 minimum win wagers on Meadowlands races.
Loebs cashed in on his first contest wager, a $100 win wager on Manhattan Beach, earning $230 and catapulting to the top of the leaderboard. He remained in the top three throughout the contest and took first place with his final wager in race 13. Loebs’ $250 final win wager on post time favourite Hes Gone Badder cashed for $675 giving him a total of $725. In addition to his contest winnings, he also earned $1,280 and a $1,000 seat into the World Harness Handicapping final.
Stefan Ferrara, a veteran WHHC participant from Mount Vernon, New York, also qualified into the WHHC final with his $535 second place finish.
The World Harness Handicapping Championship is a one-day tournament on September 10, 2022. Players that did not earn a seat through a qualifying event can directly buy-in for $1,000. The $1,000 entry fee includes a $400 bankroll, with the remaining $600 going to the prize pool. The WHHC contest format requires players to bet 10 races: their choice of seven Meadowlands races, plus three designated mandatory races. Players keep all pari-mutuel winnings. Prize payouts are to the Top 10.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)