Contests 'Provide More Excitement' for Latest $25K Winner

From owner to bettor to tournament player, horse racing has always been a big part of Paul Fishman's (PAULIETHEFISH) life. He can go all the way back to Secretariat's historic Belmont win as well as vividly recalling any bad beats he has suffered over the years in his Pick 6 plays. Just listening to his memories, Fishman has taken the good with the bad about as well as most players I know. He's experienced thrills in each aspect, but playing tournaments over the last two years has provided him with some of the most fun he has had.

On June 4, Fishman broke through with his biggest win on DerbyWars, taking first place in the $25,000 Saturday Game, which earned him $7,800 and a spot in October's two-day $250K game.

"I've owned dozens of horses, but had to give it up because it's hard to own horses and have three daughters. Tournaments have provided me with more excitement, you can't get hurt and there is the possibility of getting a big score," Fishman said.

Fishman's $25K score came in a challenging contest, as the scores were relatively low due to several favorites winning throughout the 13-race competition. Fortunately, Fishman was able to tab the few horses that did return at least $20 to win-place. What also helped Fishman was that he was able to finish strongly during the final races of the contest at Santa Anita. Midnight Storm ($17) and Reflected Star ($24.20) were the difference makers in Fishman's triumph. Reflected Star provided the most excitement since he catapulted Fishman to the lead in the final race.

"At the 16th pole I was celebrating. Just to have that rush...," recalled Fishman, who hovered around the top 10 in the $25K throughout the day. Fishman also jokingly explained how his wife and daughters were quick to stake claims on his winning purse for the day.

Fishman also talked about his longtime friend and DerbyWars' very own Dave Gutfreund, who not only got him interested in playing tournaments, but has been a wealth of knowledge along the way.

"He has taught me a lot of strategy and I have learned a lot of valuable things from Dave as it pertains to playing tournaments," Fishman said.

Fishman outlined several reasons why playing tournaments suits his current lifestyle over the grind of betting cash over a sometimes 6-hour period. A love for golf and his family, Fishman ultimately prefers a lockdown format where he can put in all of his selections for the day and still enjoy other parts of his life. Though his $25K victory wasn't a lockdown, he's not about to complain. Fishman also likes the fact that a $100 deposit can go a long way during the course of the week on DerbyWars, as qualifiers are relatively inexpensive and the opportunity for a big score always exists.

To put it simply, Fishman is having a ton of fun and success at a lower cost than he's been accustomed to over the years.

--- By Dustin Haluska