CALIFORNIAN CAPTURES AQUEDUCT HANDICAPPING CHALLENGE

**Please see the attached photo of Hesham Ragab from Los Angeles, winner of the 2010 Aqueduct Fall Handicapping Challenge, and NYRA Special Events Coordinator Kathy Locke. Credit NYRA, Adam Coglianese**

 

Sunday, November 14, 2010

 

Contact: Dan Silver

dsilver@nyrainc.com

 

 

CALIFORNIAN CAPTURES AQUEDUCT HANDICAPPING CHALLENGE

 

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Hesham Ragab, a 49-year-old Los Angeles-native, topped 219 other players and took home the $37,600 first prize in the 2010 Fall Handicapping Challenge this weekend at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

 

Ragab finished the two-day contest with a mythical bankroll of $862, narrowly defeating runner-up Frank Clements of Churchville, Md., who won second prize of $15,100 with a mythical bankroll of $849. 

 

Third-place finisher Robert DiFusco of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., finished with a mythical bankroll of $798 and earned $8,350 in prize money. In addition to their individual cash prizes, the top trio also qualified for the NTRA/Daily Racing Form National Handicapping Championship (NHC) in Las Vegas. The victor of the NHC, which takes place January 28-29, 2011, at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa, will take home the winner’s share of a $1.1 million purse and the crown of North America’s top horseplayer.

 

The Aqueduct Fall Challenge format allowed players nine $20 win, place, or show mythical wagers and one $40 wager during both days of the weekend contest. Players could wager on any race from Aqueduct, Calder, or Churchill Downs with a minimum five of each player’s ten daily wagers on Aqueduct.

 

Ragab was in 17^th place after Day 1 of the contest with a mythical bankroll of $320.

 

“I feel great and I feel like I earned it,” Ragab said. “Usually I’m not that great at picking longshots, but yesterday I hit a 43-1 shot on the turf. Unfortunately that was my only winner yesterday. So I came back today and I decided to go with who I thought was going to win.”

 

In addition to the cash prizes awarded to the overall top 20 contest finishers, a $1,000 prize was awarded to the player who accumulated the highest mythical bankroll on each day. 

 

Clements ($640) took home the prize on Day 1 while Brooklyn-native James Hom ($760) won on Day 2.

 

The highlight of Aqueduct’s 36-day fall meet comes on Saturday, November 27 with a card featuring the Grade 1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Handicap, the Grade 1 Gazelle, the Grade 2 Remsen, and the Grade 2 Demoiselle.

 

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