Monmouth Park held a $300 NHC qualifier on Saturday, January 3, and David Gutfreund of Las Vegas, NV finished in the top spot with a total of $3,219.55.

In town for a Madison Square Garden concert, Gutfreund bested a field that included 133 entries. He turned his starting $150 bankroll into the winning total by betting races from Aqueduct, Gulfstream and Tampa Bay.  Contest players could only bet win, place and/or show and needed to bet a minimum of $15 per race.

By finishing first, Gutfreund takes home the first-place cash prize of $6,225. Second-place finisher Fiore Esposito and Gutfreund will be heading to Las Vegas for the 2026 National Horseplayers Championship.

In total, the Top 5 finishers from Saturday are: