Bruce Meyer captured Canterbury Park’s Handicapper of the Year title for the fourth time. He did so by out-performing other local handicappers throughout the 2016 calendar year in various contests for which points are awarded to top finishers. Meyer finished second in the 20th annual Dog Days of Summer Tournament which helped cement the HOY win but also sends him to Las Vegas later this month to compete in the $2.5 million National Handicapping Championship. He earned a $2,000 cash prize for winning the title.
TOP 5 and POINTS EARNED
Bruce Meyer 17
Ray Davis 13
Ron White 8
Michael Tomatz 8
Pat Larson 7
The 2017 Handicapper of the Year competition is underway with the year’s first contest beginning Thursday, the Horse Player World Series Super Satellite. Canterbury’s annual Road to Kentucky Contest begins Jan. 21. That awards HOY points weekly to top players as well as overall awards.
Last year CanterburyLive.com staff posted a morning line for the HOY title and made Meyer the 5 to 1 favorite to win the 2016 title.
Here is a look at this year’s line:
Bruce Meyer 7/2 : Four titles, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2016, earns him favoritism once again.
Michael Tomatz 6-1 : This NHC qualifying ‘capper began playing Canterbury contests late in the season and quickly amassed points. If he plays for the duration of 2017 he can factor.
Ray Davis 8-1 : 2016 runner-up brings consistency to the game. Could be a break-out season.
Ron White 8-1: A bad beat here and there prevented a better 2016. He has been top five the past four years.
Mike Ferrozzo 8-1 : Prominent on the national scene, this local might spend more time playing events in town this year.
Young Guns 10-1: There are a handful of guys like Malecha, Taarud and Handeland that splashed on to the scene and could jump up to challenge Meyer.
Lannette Sheldon 12-1 : She won the title in 2015 and must be given a chance in ’17.
Pat Larson 15-1: He wins his share of contests throughout the year. Just needs a major win to build points.
Ray Hassan, Ron Hafner, and Bill Ender 20-1: All three have won the title in the past. If you add together their 2016 points they would have been third overall.
Bob Cyza 30-1 : Plays a lot of contests. If he can string wins together and hit a big point contest he will be in the hunt.
Field 10-1 : Blasts from the past like former champs like Leeper and Martin are in the field.
Derby Preps this weekend
Santa Anita runs the $100,000 G3 Sham Stakes on Saturday. Top trainers have entries trying to step into the big time. The winner receives 10 Kentucky Derby points.
While this race offers no Kentucky Derby points, Gulfstream has the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes on Saturday and some of the contenders could end up on the Derby trail. Even Thunder, winner of the Shakopee Juvenile in 2016, has been entered. He changed hands in a private sale after the Canterbury meet and immediately won the $100,000 King’s Swan at Aqueduct. The connections have suggested that a good effort Saturday would send him back to New York for the Withers, which is an official Derby prep.
