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Big Bear City Today
By the People, for the People
Richard Sugimoto Leads NTRA National Horseplayers Championship Entering Sunday's Final Table
The top 10 players will compete in the Final Table for the $825,000 first prize and Horseplayer of the Year Eclipse Award.
Mar. 15, 2026 at 11:20pm
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Richard Sugimoto of Big Bear City, California, leads the 27th NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) field with a mythical bankroll of $301.22 at the conclusion of Sunday morning's Semifinal round. The top 10 players will continue on to compete in this afternoon's Final Table in the Events Center at Horseshoe Las Vegas, where the ultimate winner will earn a coveted Eclipse Award as the Horseplayer of the Year and take home the $825,000 first prize.
Why it matters
The NHC is the most prestigious tournament in the sport of horse racing, attracting the top handicappers from across the country to compete for the title of Horseplayer of the Year and a life-changing grand prize. Sugimoto's lead heading into the Final Table makes him the favorite to capture the crown.
The details
Bankrolls from previous rounds carry over to the Final Table, where players must select one horse for a mythical $2 Win-Place wager on each of the same seven races. The Final Table mandatory races are (all times PT): Fair Grounds Race 5, 12:45 pm; Aqueduct Race 7, 1:17 pm; Tampa Bay Race 9, 1:43 pm; Oaklawn Park Race 8, 2:10 pm; Gulfstream Race 10, 2:25 pm; Oaklawn Race 9, 2:44 pm, and Santa Anita Race 5, 3:00 pm.
- The 27th NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) Semifinal round concluded on Sunday morning, March 15, 2026.
- The Final Table competition will take place this afternoon, March 15, 2026.
The players
Richard Sugimoto
A resident of Big Bear City, California, who leads the 27th NTRA National Horseplayers Championship field with a mythical bankroll of $301.22 heading into the Final Table.
Frank Polk
The second-place player with a bankroll of $288.60 heading into the Final Table.
Tommy Lenberg
The third-place player with a bankroll of $281.54 heading into the Final Table.
Dylan Donnelly
The fourth-place player with a bankroll of $277.04 heading into the Final Table.
GT Nixon
The fifth-place player with a bankroll of $275.72 heading into the Final Table.
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.
The takeaway
This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.
