News & Barn notes
Ed Wright Takes Home First Prize in December NHC Qualifier
December 15, 2025
Monmouth Park held a $300 NHC qualifier on Saturday, December 13, and Ed Wright of Brooklyn NY, finished in the top spot with a total of $1,720.30.
Wright bested a field that included 109 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, Wright takes home the first-place cash prize of $4,425. Second-place finisher Bill Holobowski and Wright will be heading to Las Vegas for the 2026 National Horseplayers Championship.
In total, the Top 5 finishers from Saturday are:
| Finish | Name | Bankroll | Prize |
| 1st | Ed Wright | $1,720.30 | $4,425+NHC Seat |
| 2nd | Bill Holobowski | $1,185.80 | $1,770+NHC Seat |
| 3rd | Matthew Thomas | $914.87 | $1,327.50 |
| 4th | Mikael Christen | $362.85 | $885 |
| 5th | Kathryn Collins | $264.55 | $442.50 |