Russell Slader of Nutley, N.J., captured the $43,200 grand prize in the 2019 World Harness Handicapping Championship presented by DerbyWars.com on Saturday (April 13) at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment.
Slader finished the tournament with a $2,518 bankroll to top the field of 108 players from across North America who competed for $108,000 in prize money. Slader won his seat via the April 11 DerbyWars.com qualifier. This was the largest prize pool ever offered for the WHHC.
The WHHC contest format required contestants to bet 10 races: eight Meadowlands races of their choice, plus one mandatory race each from Buffalo Raceway and the Meadowlands. Bets had to meet a $30 minimum, $100 maximum per race. Contestants could only bet one horse per race and wagers could either be win, place, show or a combination of the three.
Slader cashed on five of his ten bets and steadily moved up the leaderboard through the night. He cashed on the mandatory sixth race from Buffalo for $96 with a $30 win wager on Harry Hoo N and again on the fifth race at the Meadowlands for $264 with $60 to win on JK Parlay. His biggest score came from a $40 win and place wager on Sweet Rock in the Meadowlands' eighth race, which put him in third place. Slader then cashed on a $50 win and place wager on Prophet Blue Chip in the Meadowlands' 12th race for $495, putting him in first place with a $1,763 bankroll and one race remaining. He solidified his win with a $855 score in race 13 with a $50 win and place wager on Camwiser. Slader finished with a final bankroll of $2,518, taking home the $43,200 grand prize.
Jim Videtic, the 2018 WHHC champion, led for the majority of the contest and held both second and third place (he bought in for two spots) with two races remaining. Videtic cashed for $1,150 in race 13 with a $100 win wager on Camwiser to finish in second place. His second entry held on for seventh place with $1,270 in bankroll. The 2018 champ walked away with $23,760 in total prize money.
DerbyWars.com sponsored the 2019 World Harness Handicapping Championship and held weekly online qualifiers throughout 2019. In addition to DerbyWars.com and The Meadowlands, the following partner outlets sent players to compete in the 2019 WHHC: Buffalo Raceway, Vernon Downs, Tioga Downs, Standardbred Canada, Hawthorne, Rosecroft and TVG/Betfair.
The Meadowlands Racetrack would like to thank all WHHC sponsors, partner outlets and contest participants for a successful 2019 World Harness Handicapping Championship.
(Meadowlands)