Hall of fame horseplayer José Arias dies at age 40

José Arias, a member of the National Horseplayers Championship Hall of Fame who won the handicapping contest in 2014, died last weekend in Southern California.

Arias, 40, was found in his Los Angeles-area apartment, Steve Byk said on his “At the Races” radio show.

“One of the most accomplished horseplayers in the history of the NHC and NHC qualifying-contest play, José Arias captured the 2014 NHC after a remarkable stretch that saw him record the highest two-day total in NHC history,” the National Thoroughbred Racing Association said in a website tribute Wednesday. “Arias had two top-10 finishes, coming within a whisker of becoming the first two-time champion of the event before settling for second place at the 2021 NHC.”

With $956,000 in winnings that rank him third in the 24-year history of the championship, Arias was inducted this winter into the NHC Hall of Fame.

“Horseplayers are a wonderful group of people,” Arias said in a quote that was part of the NTRA’s tribute. “I see a lot of those same people at Santa Anita and going around to different tournaments. It was wonderful getting that support, having people text me ‘get ready’ or ‘you can do it.’ ”

A graduate of University of Southern California, Arias was an environmental-safety engineer based in Bell Gardens, Calif. In a 2014 story, Daily Racing Form said he started going to Southern California racetracks when he was 15, tagging along with his father. He would go on to become a regular in the Eddie Logan Suite at Santa Anita.

Arias qualified nine times for the NHC. Counting other handicapping contests, his earnings were “well over $1 million,” according to the NTRA.

Remembering the high point in winning the championship nine years ago, Arias said, “It was a very memorable experience feeling all the love and support from everybody. When they started chanting my name after I won, that was the cherry on top. It was very emotional. I felt all this gratitude.”