The United States Trotting Association has announced the details of its World Harness Handicapping Championship online qualifying series.

In conjunction with horsetourneys.com and the $100,000 WHHC, which will be held at the Meadowlands on Saturday, April 13, 2013, the USTA has announced that it has created a free, online qualifying series of 10 tournaments to be conducted during January and February. The winner of each qualifier gains a berth ($1,000 value) into the WHHC final at the Meadowlands.

The USTA World Handicapping Championship Online Qualifying Series, which will commence on Friday, Jan. 18, will be conducted on Friday and Saturday nights for five consecutive weekends and will feature 10 different USTA member tracks.

Contestants can register free at horsetourneys.com starting today at 5:00 p.m., but will be required to enter each week starting on Monday at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern) to participate in the upcoming weekend’s contests. Entries will be limited to 1,000 for each contest on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Free past performances will be provided for each contest by Trackmaster.

The contest format will be selecting 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 with all selections needing to be submitted prior to post time of the first race. A complete listing of rules and regulations is available at horsetourneys.com.

Following is a schedule with featured racetracks for the USTA Online WHHC Qualifying Series:

Date
Track

Fri. Jan. 18
Meadowlands

Sat. Jan. 19
Balmoral Park

Fri. Jan. 25
Maywood Park

Sat. Jan. 26
Cal Expo

Fri. Feb. 1
The Meadows

Sat. Feb. 2
Yonkers Raceway

Fri. Feb. 8
Northfield Park

Sat. Feb. 9
Pompano Park

Fri. Feb. 15
Northville Downs

Sat. Feb 16
Buffalo Raceway

The 2013 WHHC, 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, formed to create the industry’s ultimate tournament experience. Standardbred Canada will support the project by facilitating the participation of Canadian racing and wagering outlets.

Limited to just 100 spots, 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 ($1000) should enough spots remain as of April 1, 2013.

Horsetourneys.com is an online handicapping tournament website that is owned and operated by Ellis Park Race Course in Henderson, Kentucky. 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.

(USTA)