D'Amato, Carson score big in two-day 'Battle of Saratoga'

by NYRA Press Office

Mark D'Amato and Scott Carson took down the top spots in the two-day "Battle of Saratoga" Handicapping Challenge, on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, at Saratoga Race Course.

Starting with the standard $600 live money bankroll, D'Amato finished Day 1 comfortably atop the leaderboard with a final bankroll of $8,049 and seats in the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge on November 4 and 5 at Santa Anita Park as well the National Handicapping Championship next January in Las Vegas.

In addition to his bankroll, the lifelong horseplayer picked up $24,600 in prize money for the win, his first in a live money tournament and first at Saratoga.

"I used to go to Arlington all the time with my family, my mom used to make us all go with our grandfather, so I've been betting on horses ever since I was a kid," said D'Amato, a resident of Green Bay, Wisc. "That's the thing I like about this place, it reminds me of going to the track back in the old times."

Michael Beychok finished second with $4,370 to earn a seat at the 2017 NHC and $12,300 in prize money.

On Day 2, Scott Carson prevailed as the man of the hour, ending the afternoon with a final bankroll of $14,930.50, more than doubling runner-up Paul Shurman's $6,380.25.

Carson, of Yorktown, N.Y., said he has been an annual visitor to Saratoga since 1988 and hasn't missed a running of the Belmont Stakes since 1986. Carson picked up his first qualifying seat to the BCBC and will be making his ninth trip to the NHC.

Playing contests "since the early 2000's," Carson also earned $25,320 in prize money for the win, adding up to his "biggest payday ever" as he walks away with around $50,000 in cash and prizes.

"I like the competition, I like the camaraderie, and I particularly like that it forces you to bet beyond your comfort zone," Carson said of playing tournaments.

Shurman earned $12,660 in prize money but already has the maximum number of NHC seats. As per the rules, the seat went to Christian Hellmers, the third-place finisher with a bankroll of $6,077.50 and $10,128 in prizes.

There were 416 entrants through both days of the tournament, each putting up the $1,000 buy in (of which $600 comprised the entrant's bankroll and $400 went to the prize pool).

For results of this year's two-day Battle of Saratoga Handicapping Challenge, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/saratoga-chal...