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[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=-1]Randall Immitt, a 25-year-old, eighth-grade school teacher, became the youngest winner ever of a New York Racing Association handicapping tournament and earned a $35,000 first-place payday today at Belmont Park and an automatic berth in the National Handicapping Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Immitt teaches at Waldwick in Bergen County, New Jersey and said the $35,000 payoff doubles his salary as a teacher. He said he anticipated no trouble getting a day off to compete in the National Championship.
“My school principal grew up right outside Belmont Park and he will be happy for me,” said Immitt. “The kids will understand, they like substitute teachers anyway.”
The two-day weekend tournament featured 205 of the nation’s top handicappers representing 14 states. The tournament format allows each contestant nine $20 wagers and one $40 wager on each contest day. All wagers were mythical win, place or show bets on races conducted at Belmont Park, Churchill Downs and Monmouth Park.
Immitt took command of the tournament with a $40 win wager on Dinah’s Pearls ($33.00) in today’s fifth race at Belmont Park and then increased his total to $1,534 by winning five consecutive $20 show wagers.
William Jackson, the 2002 Belmont handicapping champ and a retired police officer from the Town of Ossining, New York, earned $10,000 for his second-place finish, while Frank Garriton, a retired stock trader, took home $8,000 in prize money with his third-place finish.
Each of the top three finishers in the Belmont Park tournament each receives an automatic berth in the NTRA/Daily Racing Form National Tournament in Las Vegas in January. Each of the top 20 finishers in the Belmont Park tourney received a cash prize, and the entire $82,000 in entry fees were returned to the contestants in cash prizes.
Immitt entered the second day of the competition in third place before taking the lead with Belmont’s fifth race.
The victory marks the first trip to the National Championship for Immitt and Garriton, while Jackson will be making his fourth appearance. [/size][/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=-1]Randall Immitt, a 25-year-old, eighth-grade school teacher, became the youngest winner ever of a New York Racing Association handicapping tournament and earned a $35,000 first-place payday today at Belmont Park and an automatic berth in the National Handicapping Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Immitt teaches at Waldwick in Bergen County, New Jersey and said the $35,000 payoff doubles his salary as a teacher. He said he anticipated no trouble getting a day off to compete in the National Championship.
“My school principal grew up right outside Belmont Park and he will be happy for me,” said Immitt. “The kids will understand, they like substitute teachers anyway.”
The two-day weekend tournament featured 205 of the nation’s top handicappers representing 14 states. The tournament format allows each contestant nine $20 wagers and one $40 wager on each contest day. All wagers were mythical win, place or show bets on races conducted at Belmont Park, Churchill Downs and Monmouth Park.
Immitt took command of the tournament with a $40 win wager on Dinah’s Pearls ($33.00) in today’s fifth race at Belmont Park and then increased his total to $1,534 by winning five consecutive $20 show wagers.
William Jackson, the 2002 Belmont handicapping champ and a retired police officer from the Town of Ossining, New York, earned $10,000 for his second-place finish, while Frank Garriton, a retired stock trader, took home $8,000 in prize money with his third-place finish.
Each of the top three finishers in the Belmont Park tournament each receives an automatic berth in the NTRA/Daily Racing Form National Tournament in Las Vegas in January. Each of the top 20 finishers in the Belmont Park tourney received a cash prize, and the entire $82,000 in entry fees were returned to the contestants in cash prizes.
Immitt entered the second day of the competition in third place before taking the lead with Belmont’s fifth race.
The victory marks the first trip to the National Championship for Immitt and Garriton, while Jackson will be making his fourth appearance. [/size][/font]
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