Derby Wars’ Dylanm Takes $25K Super Saturday Contest

 

By focusing on making solid picks, 21-year old handicapper Dylan McIntosh, or Dylanm, as he is known on the site, chipped away at the leaderboard to take down the Derby Wars $25,000 Super Saturday contest, taking home a $9,125 cash prize and an entry into the $100,000 Breeders’ Cup game.

 

“I would have to say that my strategy for the contest was – just pick winners,” Dylan said. “Many times, in these contests – as soon as the first cap horse hits – the pressure is on for you to either start bombing away, or stay the course knowing that you need to cash most every race.”

 

Indeed, Dylan got off to a rolling start, selecting eight first- or second- place finishers in the first nine legs of the contest and, ultimately, picking 10 of the top two finishers in the 14-race game.

 

“Fortunately, for me, Lady Luck was with me and my horses were coming in, and there were really no big longshots that came in.

 

“I am so excited as a young handicapper to hold my own with the ‘big boys’!"

"Thanks again and I love the contests and the site,” he added.

 

"I am so excited as a young handicapper to hold my own with the 'big boys'!" 

 

In the sixth leg, Dylan selected one of the largest payoffs of the day when first-timer starter Punctuate won a maiden special weight in the fourth race at Santa Anita. 

 

“I just loved the workout pattern and the breeding on that horse,” Dylan said. “It looked to be ready to run and, in the right spot. So, with first a time starter, you never really know – and I got lucky with Punctuate!”

 

The winner paid $29.80 in the contest and offered a major boost in the player standings and, although 18 other players had made the same pick with Punctuate, Dylan kept to task, picking five more winners in the remaining eight races to lock down the win.

 

Dylan has been handicapping seriously for the last three years. He was bitten by the horseplaying bug years earlier though, and he credits his stepfather, also a regular player on Derby Wars, as his teacher and mentor.

 

"Many times, in these contests - as soon as the first cap horse hits - the pressure is on for you to either start bombing away, or stay the course." 

  

“I started going to the tracks at a very early age with my stepfather and my mom locally – Hialeah, when it was racing [Thoroughbreds], Gulfstream and Calder,” Dylan said. “I really didn’t understand it when I was younger, but he would make some bets for me and I would always come home with money – maybe that is when I got hooked. He has taught me most of what I know about racing and handicapping and I enjoy playing in contests against him--especially when I beat him.  We have our own little rivalry going.

 

“All of his buddies keep telling him that the ‘student has become the master’ just to get on his case, but I know that he is really proud of me.”