Horseplayer World Series a big chance for bettors, great and small

The number of opportunities to win a six-figure amount in horse race betting are few and far between. You can wait for pick six carry-overs and try outwitting large syndicate groups that are looking to devour average Joes, like us.

Or you can play in the Horseplayer World Series from Thursday to Saturday at The Orleans, which is advertising a $600,000 prize pool based upon 600 players. That would make first prize worth $270,000.

I love handicapping tournaments like this, and you should, too, because every horseplayer in the ballroom is on equal footing. It’s pure handicapping. It makes no difference if one person has a bankroll of $10,000 and you have $100. The natural odds of winning $270,000 remain 1 out of 600.

The kicker is a stiff $1,000 entry fee. There have been qualifiers over the last year, but that horse is out the door. However, with creative accounting, such as taking on silent partners, there are ways to accumulate the cash to buy in. Believe me, winning as part of a team is better than not winning at all.

The beauty of the HWS is there are multiple ways to get out and break even. For example, money is paid back to the top 60 finishers, so by finishing in the top 10 percent you are whole again.

Daily prizes of $24,000 also will be awarded all three days. Thus, by having a top-10 daily score on only one day, you will just about get your money back.

Those who have never played in a handicapping tournament are missing out. There is a cheaper way to gain experience in such events. Two Las Vegas race books — the South Point and Sam’s Town — offer one-day contests every Thursday. Station Casinos have a daily twin quinella bet, which in a way is a one-day tournament.

Three weeks ago, we witnessed an exciting finish to the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship at Treasure Island, where Michael Beychok won $1 million.

I suggest that horseplayers keep an eye on the 2013 HWS and NHC qualifiers throughout the year. By planning and playing in the qualifiers, one can shoot for a life-changing score in February 2013 in Las Vegas.

■ TRIPLE CROWN TRAIL — Three Kentucky Derby prep races will be run this weekend. The El Camino Real Derby is Saturday at Golden Gate, the San Vicente is Sunday at Santa Anita and the Southwest is Monday at Oaklawn. I’ll suggest one horse to play: Lucky Chappy (7-2) in the El Camino Real.

■ ANIMAL KINGDOM — Animal Kingdom, last year’s Kentucky Derby winner, makes his season debut Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The connections had hinted previously he would return in a grass stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. However, the Gulfstream racing office wrote a race specifically for Animal Kingdom and made sure of a full field. This is a prep race for the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 31.

Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick.