Bio-tech consultant McCarty leads horseplayers championship

LasVegas

DavidMcCarty, 78, a bio-technology consultant from San Diego who regularly plays thehorses at Del Mar, took an early lead Friday and held it through the end of day1 in the $3.5 million National Horseplayers Championship.

Competingin his eighth consecutive NHC, McCarty was $162.80 to the good after the 18mythical $2 win-place wagers that he and the other 508 players had to makeFriday. That put him $42.60 clear of second-place Frank Paros, 62, a generalcontractor from Jupiter, Fla., who has a score of $129.20 is in his first NHC.

TimGavin, 67, a retired attorney from Dallas playing in his third NHC, stood thirdat $120.20. Kevin Smith was in fourth place at $108.50.

Amongthe former champions, 2019 winner Scott Coles of Mokena, Ill., stood fifth at$106.20. NHC Hall of Famer Judy Wagner, the 2001 champ from New Orleans, was21st at $96.60.

Byway of comparison, the average cut line to be among the 10 percent who qualifyfor the semifinals the past five years has been a pro-rated $180.99, meaningMcCarty might need about a 6-1 or 7-1 winner to feel assured of getting to day3.

Sincethe 509 players have a total of 643 entries, the top 64 players through Saturday’s18 races will qualify to advance to Sunday morning’s semifinals and guaranteethemselves $10,000 each. From there the top 10 players will be at the finaltable Sunday afternoon competing for a minimum $50,000 and a top prize of $725,000.

Thetournament staged by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association is being held for the third straight year at Bally’s Las Vegas,which will undergo a name change in the coming year to become Horseshoe LasVegas.