Tip the cap to Steven Jones, winner in Week 3 of the $10,000-added Xpressbet Fun in the Sun Handicapping Tournament, who bested a field of 113 players. The field for the September 2 Final Table has expanded to 15 qualified players. Week 4 of the 7 qualifying contests returns this Saturday and challenges horseplayers over the final 5 races at Saratoga and first 5 races at Del Mar.
With Tropical Storm Debby in the forecast for heavy rains in Saratoga, note that FITS rules stipulate the contest continues as the final 10 races on the card at Del Mar-only if necessary.
Last week, Jones tabulated an impressive $394 bankroll, second-highest of the season, despite only 9 contest races last week vs. 10 due to a Saratoga turf cancellation in the contest races. That total earned Jones the $1,197 weekly top prize. Joining him in the top 5 and earning Final Table berths were Jeffrey Danner ($381 bankroll, $498.75 second prize), Terrence Severson ($347 bankroll, $299.25 third prize), Sean Omalley ($342 bankroll) and Kevin Jones ($302 bankroll).
Fun in the Sun offers its Final Table format for the fifth straight year and the progressive contest jackpot for 2024 stands at $12,887.50 with $10,000 seeded by Xpressbet.
Qualifying Weeks (Saturdays)
July 20, 27
August 3,10,17,24,31
Final Table
September 2 (Monday)
The weekly contest format includes a $100 buy-in and $25 entry fee, which includes the tournament’s 10 weekly $10 win bets from Saratoga (last 5 races) and Del Mar (first 5 races). The Top-5 finishers by earnings each of the seven qualifying weeks earn berths into the Final Table. With 100% of tournament fees paid back to players, weekly prize pools compromise of 70% paid out to the Saturday leaderboard, while 30% rolls over to the Final Table (in addition to the $10,000 seed from Xpressbet).
Last year, Joe Tambasco topped Week 2 of the contest and later earned the $8,911 first prize at the Final Table, which had a prize pool in excess of $16,000.
Fun in the Sun Final Table Winners
2020 Robert Rosen
2021 Wayne Tam
2022 Kevin Saunders
2023 Joe Tambasco
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