National Handicapping Championship crowns youngest winner

Justin Mustari, the National Handicapping Championship’s youngest victor astatine 26, has large plans for the $725,000 helium won aft outlasting 450 different horseplayers successful the three-day tourney that ended Sunday astatine Bally’s.

“I’ve got to bargain a home,” helium said. “I inactive unrecorded with my parents.”

Mustari, from Des Plaines, Illinois, cemented his triumph by selecting Rose’s Chrystal, a 21-1 agelong changeable successful the eighth contention astatine Del Mar.

The come-from-behind triumph vaulted Mustari backmost to the apical spot with $370.80 successful net connected mythical triumph and spot bets implicit erstwhile person Jose Arias of Bell Gardens, California, who banked $347.20 and was bidding to go the archetypal two-time victor of the contest, present successful its 22nd year.

Mustari, an ace golfer who serves arsenic a manager astatine Oakton Community College successful Des Plaines, attributed his triumph to his dad, Frank, who besides was a contestant successful the event.

“He taught maine everything I cognize astir this game,” a visibly stunned Mustari said aft executing a dancing hug with his dada alongside the “final table” acceptable up for the apical 10 finishers to vie implicit the last 7 races of the contest.

In summation to the prize money, Mustari, who qualified successful a handicapping contention astatine Hawthorne Race Course adjacent Chicago, volition person an Eclipse Award arsenic the “Horseplayer of the Year.”

Arias collected $200,000 for his second-place finish. Christopher Goodall picked up $150,000 for 3rd and Paul Calia $100,000 for fourth.

Goodall, a nonmigratory of Winter Park, Florida, was aiming to make a household dynasty successful the contest, arsenic his father, Richard, won the NHC successful 2008 and his mother, Sally, won the NHC Tour rubric this year. His parents unrecorded successful Las Vegas.

Other finalists with their net were Sarah Weiner ($75,000), Brandan Fay ($65,000), Travis Allison ($56,000), Jason Phillips ($54,000), Paul Yaffee ($52,000) and Jeff VanDrie ($50,000).

Entrants qualified for the event, which includes all-expense paid trips to Las Vegas, done handicapping contests online and astatine North American racetracks. The contention awarded astir $3 cardinal successful currency and prizes.

Mike Brunker tin beryllium reached astatine mbrunker@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-4656. Follow @mike_brunker connected Twitter.