Victorious Day of DerbyWars Firsts
It was a day of firsts for Rob Adamo (BOBBYBLEND).
Not only did Adamo earn a $7,800 cash prize for taking down the 25K game on DerbyWars on April 16, he also became the first official entrant to the site’s first-ever 250K game.
The richest game to-date in DerbyWars history currently lists a top prize of $80,000 which includes a seat to the 2017 National Handicapping Championship.
NHC seats will be awarded to the second, third and fourth-place finishers in addition to lofty cash rewards.
The contest which will run Oct. 8-9 is open to 130 players and pays to 20th place ($3,000).
While Adamo, was tickled pink to win his first major tournament and pocket several thousand dollars, he was even more excited to already qualify for the 250K game.
“Just amazing. I didn’t even know right away that I got into that (250K) in addition to winning the cash,” Adamo said.
The nutritionist and New York native says that he has been playing online tournaments on DerbyWars for less than two months.
Though tournament strategy is new, handicapping horses isn’t.
Adamo has been playing horses most of his life and says it is routine for him to do his handicapping the evening before the races.
He didn’t have to wait long for that work to pay off as just three races into contest, Exaggerated scampered home on the Keeneland turf to return $31.80 and push him up the leaderboard.
In contrast to most winning tournament resumes, it was the largest win-place score of the day for Adamo.
Fortunately, a consistent flow of returns produced payouts in eight of the 11 races that followed Adamo’s score with Exaggerated. None of those win-place returns exceeded $17.20 and a few were only place efforts.
Adamo attributed Big Changes’ return of $11.40 at Oaklawn Park in the 13th of 14 races in the 25K for being his key late in the contest. Arkansas Derby runner-up Suddenbreakingnews ($6) was the go-ahead selection for Adamo who slipped past (FIRSTTGEORGE) for the win.
“My friends kept telling me about playing tournaments,” Adamo said. “I’m so glad I did. It is so much.”
By Dustin Haluska
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