RESULTS
Click here for a summary of the contest. Click here for the complete Official Final Results.
BEST vs. BEST
The Hawthorne Invitational, presented by The Daily Racing Form, is one of the most competitive handicapping contests in the country, featuring a who’s who of top-rated contest players: 6 NHC winners, 3 NHC Tour Champions, and 6 Hall of Fame Handicappers.
Plus winners of:
The Breeders Cup Classic | The Pegasus Betting Challenge | The Keeneland Grade 1 Gamble | Belmont Stakes Challenge | Monmouth Pick Your Prize | Santa Anita 3-Peat | Travers Challenge | Del Mar Handicapping Challenge | and many more…
On Sunday, June 25th approximately 60 players will compete for over $50,000 in prizes, playing a $2500 bankroll across 4 mandatory races, 3 optional plays and a grand finale Hawthorne Derby.
GET IN ON THE ACTION
WIN YOUR WAY IN: We’re giving away 3 entries to this otherwise invite-only contest as part of the prize pool in our NHC Spring Qualifier Contest on Saturday, June 24th. This contest is a $500 live bankroll with no entry fee, no mandatory races and an open wager format (bet however you want on the races that you feel best suit your skill). Click HERE to register and learn more.
WATCH & WAGER ALONG: The Hawthorne Invitational will be streamed live on YouTube (subscribe for alerts) featuring expert wagering analysis and contest strategy by Emily Gullikson (OptixEQ) and Ed DeRosa (Horse Racing Nation), with real-time race previews, reactions and discussions with contest players.
MEET THE PLAYERS
| First Name | Last Name | Name Plate | |
| 1 | Jim | Benes | 2013 NHC Winner |
| 2 | AJ | Benton | Cashed 4x in 1st 4 NHCs |
| 3 | Michael | Beychok | 2012 NHC Winner, Hall of Fame |
| 4 | Matthew | Bickey | Horsetourneys Breeders Cup Winner |
| 5 | Paul | Calia | 2023 NHC Winner |
| 6 | Roger | Cettina | 2nd Place NHC (2x) |
| 7 | Scott | Coles | 2019 NHC Winner |
| 8 | Kevin | Costello | 2021 NHC Tour Champion |
| 9 | Jorge | Cruz-Aedo | 2021 Horsetourneys Tour Winner |
| 10 | Justin | Dew | 6x NHC Qualifier |
| 11 | Dylan | Donnelly | 2023 Monmouth Pick Your Prize Winner |
| 12 | Bryan | Doranski | Hawthorne Contest Top 5 Finisher |
| 13 | John | Fisher | 16x NHC Qualifier |
| 14 | Tony | Garafalo | 14x NHC Qualifier |
| 15 | John | Gaspar | 14x NHC Qualifier |
| 16 | Greg | Gass | 5x NHC Qualifier |
| 17 | Marshall | Gramm | 2020 BCBC Winner |
| 18 | Gaylord | Grundy | NHC Top 5 Finisher |
| 19 | David | Gutfreund | NHC Hall of Fame, Tour Champion |
| 20 | Paul | Hoffman | Top 5 Finish NHC Tour (2x) |
| 21 | Jordan | Jayne | Hawthorne Contest Winner |
| 22 | Jeannie | King | 11x NHC Qualifier |
| 23 | Kyle | King | Hawthorne Contest Winner |
| 24 | Brady | Klotz | 2nd Place Pegasus Challenge |
| 25 | Christopher | Larmey | 2022 Invitational Winner, Hall of Fame |
| 26 | Gregory | Lewis | 9x NHC Qualifier |
| 27 | Anthony | Mattera | 2nd Place Players Championship |
| 28 | Carson | Matties | Youngest Invitational Player |
| 29 | Duke | Matties | Orleans Fall Classic Winner |
| 30 | Paul | Matties, Jr | 2016 NHC Winner |
| 31 | Kenneth | McMahan | Keeneland Gamble Winner |
| 32 | Matt | Miller | 2021 BCBC Winner |
| 33 | Christy | Moore | Travers Stakes Challenge Winner |
| 34 | Michael | Mulvihill | 3rd Place Pegasus Challenge |
| 35 | Frank | Mustari | 2019 Invitaional Winner |
| 36 | Justin | Mustari | 2021 NHC Winner |
| 37 | Dave | Nichols | 3x Top 15 NHC Tour |
| 38 | Mark | Odorisio | Hawthorne Contest Winner |
| 39 | Eddie | Olczyk | Pegasus Challenge Winner |
| 40 | Joe | Paladino | Hawthorne Contest Top 5 Finisher |
| 41 | Leonard | Peterson | 7th Place in 2023 NHC Tour |
| 42 | Dylan | Rossi | Founder of WinningBred |
| 43 | Anthony | Sagan | Co-Owner Two Phil’s |
| 44 | Marc | Scanio | 1st Time Hawthorne Contest Player |
| 45 | Paul | Shurman | NHC Hall of Fame, Tour Champion |
| 46 | William | Shurman | NHC Hall of Fame |
| 47 | Steven | Simonovic | 10x NHC Qualifier, Top 5 Finish |
| 48 | Melvin | Simonovich | Hawthorne Contest Winner |
| 49 | Patrick | Stich | Monmouth Pick Your Prize Winner |
| 50 | Trey | Stiles | Most All-Time NHC Appearances (tied) |
| 51 | Paul | Weizer | 2nd Place BCBC |
| 52 | Henry | Wessel | 1st Time Hawthorne Contest Player |
| 53 | Steve | Wolfson, Jr. | 2003 NHC Winner, Hall of Fame |
| 54 | Darren | Yarwood | Hawthorne Contest Winner |
| 55 | Tim | Yohler | Del Mar Challenge Winner |
| 56 | Tony | Zhou | Belmont Challenge Winner |
as of 6/20/223