It didn’t take last year’s Fun in the Sun Final Table winner Andy Muhlada long to get back to this year’s big Labor Day destination. Muhlada finished fifth in Week 2 of the annual handicapping contest last Saturday and became the tenth player already qualified to the 40-seat finale. Week 3 returns this Saturday and features the Jim Dandy card at Saratoga alongside Del Mar racing action.
Fun in the Sun contestants play for weekly prize money and a chance to join each week’s top-5 players in the tournament’s Final Table on Labor Day. The FITS progressive jackpot for the Final Table stands at $11,680 after the first 2 qualifying rounds with $10,000-added from Xpressbet.
Last week’s top entry was Thomas Carroll, whose $297.80 mutuel total was a whopping $60.50 better than runner-up Barry Hill. Carroll earned $1,176 for his work, while Carroll was awarded $490. They will advance to the Final Table along with third-place Wardell Dodds ($236.90, earned $294 in additional prize money), fourth-place David Essig ($216.90 mutuel total) and the aforementioned Andy Muhlada ($176.90 mutuel total).
The 9-week Fun in the Sun handicapping contest runs 8 Saturdays from July 18-September 5 and concludes with the Final Table on Labor Day Monday, September 7.
Entry is just $25 each qualifying round week and players utilize a $100 live bankroll on the final 5 races from Saratoga and first 5 races from Del Mar ($10 parimutuel win bets in each of the contest races). The top-5 players in accumulated earnings each week qualify for a seat in the final table, where just 40 entries will square off for the grand prize (players can qualify up to 2 entries in the Final Table). Weekly prize pool money will be on the line for the top-3 finishers each Saturday (70% of entry fees paid out weekly, 30% carries over to the Final Table pool).
The Final Table format began in 2020 and past champions include Robert Rosen (2020), Wayne Tam (2021), Kevin Saunders (2022), Joe Tambasco (2023), Gordon Maruya (2024) and Andy Muhlada (2025).
2026 Tournament Dates
Saturday, July 18, 25
Saturday, August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Saturday and Monday, September 5 and 7 (Final Table)
Buy-In
$125 Buy-In per week, split between $100 Bankroll + $25 Entry Fee
How to Play
Tournament consists of the last five (5) races each Saturday at Saratoga and the first five (5) races each Saturday at Del Mar. Players must make a $10 Win bet on one (1) horse in each race via the Contest Wagerpad.
Weekly Prize Pool
70% of Entry Fees are paid out each week as the Weekly Prize Pool
Weekly Prizes
Top Five (5) finishers each week automatically qualify for the Final Table
1st Place Finisher – 60% of Weekly Prize Pool + Final Table Seat
2nd Place Finisher – 25% of Weekly Prize Pool + Final Table Seat
3rd Place Finisher – 15% of Weekly Prize Pool + Final Table Seat
4th Place Finisher – Final Table Seat
5th Place Finisher – Final Table Seat
Final Table Prizes
30% of Entry Fees carried over to the Final Table
$10,000-added prize pool courtesy of Xpressbet
1st Place Finisher: 55% of Final Table Prize Pool
2nd Place Finisher: 25% of Final Table Prize Pool
3rd Place Finisher: 10% of Final Table Prize Pool
4th Place Finisher: 5% of Final Table Prize Pool
5th Place Finisher: 5% of Final Table Prize Pool
For more and to register, visit the Tournaments page.
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