photo by Adam Coglianese

Jimmy D’Elia, a 58-year-old resident of Howard Beach, N.Y., made a late rally to win the second annual “Battle of Saratoga” handicapping contest at Saratoga Race Course.

With the victory in the two-day contest, D’Elia will receive a $75,000 cash prize. In addition, D’Elia and the first two runners-up, Mack McClyment of Forest Hills, Md., and Stephanie Davis of Brooklyn, will be invited to Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas in January, with The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) to provide airfare reimbursement and hotel accommodations.

D’Elia – who owns Unico Spring Corporation, which sells heavy-duty truck and bus parts –
shot to the lead on Thursday when Scorper ($24.80) won Saratoga’s 10th and last race, the third-to-final race in the contest. He finished the two-day contest with a mythical bankroll of $1,172, with McClyment standing at $1,086 and Davis finishing with $1,078.

The tournament format allowed each contestant nine $20 win, place, or show mythical wagers and one $40 wager per day on races from Saratoga, Arlington Park, Calder Race Course, Delaware Park, and Del Mar.

“Yesterday, I ended up with five winners, and I was in fifth place,” said D’Elia. “Today, I loved Indian Tale ($7.20) in race 3. When I got to race 9, I was in sixth position. The only way I was going to win was if I picked one of the horses that I really loved that was the biggest price, Scorper. I made him my $40 bet. [Trainer] Rudy Rodriguez, you can never count him out. I threw him in there, especially with a horse like this.”

It was the first tournament victory from six appearances for D’Elia, who will be attending the Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship for the first time.

McClyment will receive $25,000 for his second-place finish, with Davis to be awarded $15,000 for finishing third and a $1,500 bonus for having the best performance on day two. Joe Perry of Hamilton, N.J., won a $1,500 prize for leading after day one.