TAMPA BAY: BRETT WIENER REPEATS AS HIGH ROLLERS HANDICAPPING CONTEST CHAMPION

By Mike Henry —-

BRETT WIENER REPEATS AS HIGH ROLLERS HANDICAPPING CONTEST CHAMPION

OLDSMAR, FL. – High-stakes handicapping contests bring out the best in Brett Wiener.

The Las Vegas resident, who lives part of the year in Clearwater, captured the High Rollers Handicapping Contest this weekend at Tampa Bay Downs for the second year in a row. He accumulated a two-day bankroll of $2,426, edging Lawrence Kahlden, who finished with a bankroll of $2,175.50, and Ross Gallo and Joe Aurello, who tied for third with $2,175.

The contest drew a field of 107 players. A full listing of the final standings is attached.

In addition to his tournament bankroll, which Wiener got to keep, the National Horseplayers Championship Hall of Fame member earned the first-place contest prize of $17,050 and a seat in the 2026 National Thoroughbred Racing Association/NHC (he had already qualified for this year’s event). Wiener was also the Day 2 winner, which gave him an additional $500 and a free entry into the 2026 High Rollers event at the Oldsmar oval.

Wiener, who purchased two seats in the tournament, found himself in 18th place with his winning entry after Friday’s first-day action with $900. He climbed steadily up the leaderboard on Saturday, then surged to the top in dramatic fashion with a $50 win bet on longshot Rouki in the 10th and final race, the $125,000 Turf Dash Stakes.

Wiener was ecstatic to repeat as High Rollers champion. The victory also enabled him to win the NHC Yearly Tour, which added $75,000 to his weekend haul.

His wife Sarah, who also competed in the High Rollers, finished sixth on the NHC Yearly Tour, earning $15,000. But it’s not yet time for the couple to take that around-the-world cruise. As the NHC Yearly Tour champion, Wiener would collect a cool $5-million by winning the National Thoroughbred Racing Association/National Horseplayers Championship, which is March 14-17 in Las Vegas.

He’s glad to have time to savor this win.

“Because this contest field has so many good players. … it’s always hard to win any contest, no less twice, and then twice in a row. … very hard,” Wiener said today via e-mail. He knew he had to make up ground in the last race and landed on the 20-1 shot Rouki, from the barn of trainer Gerald Bennett and ridden by Samy Camacho.

“I noticed that the other 5-furlong turf race went to the outside swinger (Great Venezuela in the Lightning City Stakes), so I looked for that in the last and came up with the No. 10 Rouki,” Wiener noted.

“And that was that.”

Wiener, who founded and owns a company named Shrine Design that designs electronic candle systems for churches, enjoyed the ultra-competitive yet welcoming environment of the High Rollers event.

“As always, Margo (Flynn, the track’s Vice President of Marketing & Publicity) did a great job. The service is great and the food and beverage is great,” he said. “It’s just a great contest and always fun, and the prize money is also very good. One of the best of the year.”

Kahlden earned $6,820 and a seat at the 2026 NTRA/NHC event for his runner-up finish. Gallo and Aurello each earned $4,262.

Jim Videctic was fifth overall with a contest bankroll of $1,825, earning $1,705 from the prize pool.

Darren Yarwood was the Day 1 winner, which earned him $500 and a 2026 NTRA/NHC seat. Ken Jordan was second on Day 1, winning $250, and Videctic and Marc Chapman tied for third, collecting $25 apiece.

Mike Klodnicki finished second in the Day 2 standings, earning $250 and a 2026 NTRA/NHC seat. Chapman was third, earning another $50.

The buy-in cost to compete was $1,000, of which $500 was a player’s bankroll for wagering and $500 went into the prize pool. Any amount remaining in a player’s bankroll at the conclusion of the contest remained with the player.

Only races at Tampa Bay Downs on Friday and Saturday were included in the contest. Wager types permitted were win, place and/or show, with players required to bet $50 on five separate races of their choosing both days.

Around the oval. Leading trainer Kathleen O’Connell sent out back-to-back winners today. She captured the fifth race with Sir Robert Hall, a 5-year-old gelding owned by DiBello Racing and ridden by Pedro Cotto, Jr. O’Connell added the sixth race on the turf with Bomb Cyclone, a 4-year-old gelding owned by Perrine Time Thoroughbreds and ridden by Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr.

Japanese jockey Daisuke Fukumoto won today’s eighth race on the turf for his first victory in six races at the Oldsmar oval aboard 8-year-old gelding Justintimeforwine, who is owned by Gina Wright and trained by Michael W. Wright. Fukumoto, 27, has won five graded stakes in North America, including the 2021 Grade I Ricoh Woodbine Mile on Town Cruise.

The Ultimate 6 jackpot was hit Saturday, with the lucky winner collecting $97,994.54. The winning combination was 7-2-10-9-7-10.

Thoroughbred racing continues Wednesday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:40 p.m. Tampa Bay Downs races each Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and is open every day for simulcast wagering, no-limits action and tournament play in The Silks Poker Room and golf fun and instruction at The Downs Golf Practice Facility.