News & Barn notes
John Gaspar Takes October NHC Qualifier
October 07, 2025

Monmouth Park held a $300 NHC qualifier on Saturday, October 4, and John Gaspar of the Wakefield, MA, finished in the top spot with a total of $2,288.61.
Gaspar bested a field that included 108 entries. He turned his starting $150 bankroll into the winning total by betting races from Belmont @ Aqueduct, Keeneland and Woodbine. Contest players could only bet win, place and/or show and needed to bet a minimum of $15 per race.
By finishing first, Gaspar takes home the first-place cash prize of $4,350. As a double NHC qualifier already, Gaspar also wins a seat into the 2026 Pick Your Prize Handicapping Challenge. Second-place finisher Tarik Kouchtaf and third-place finisher Scott Trabucco 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 | John Gaspar | $2,288.61 | $4,350+PYP Seat |
2nd | Tarik Kouchtaf | $1,232.61 | $1,740+NHC Seat |
3rd | Scott Trabucco | $1,039.07 | $1,305+NHC Seat |
4th | Ed Wright | $800.22 | $870 |
5th | Chris Olsson | $600 | $435 |