win, place & show  

Updated 11/17/2011

2011 WBC Report     

 2012 Status: pending December Membership Trial Vote

Jeremy Billones, VA

2011 Champion

Links

 

Event History
1992    Bruce Reiff      14
1993    Stephen Kershaw     10
1994    Stuart Tucker      20
1995    Dennis Nicholson      29
1996    Bruce Reiff      17
1997    John Coussis      15
1998    Bruce Reiff      14
1999    Bruce Reiff     31
2000    Ken Gutermuth     26
2001    Ken Gutermuth     42
2002    Stuart Tucker     40
2003    Robert Drozd     41
2004    Dave Steiner     57
2005    Dave Steiner     28
2006    John Welage     37
2007    John Welage     39
2008    Jason Levine     34
2009    Ted Drozd     25
2010    John Welage     27
2011    Jeremy Billones     22
 Laurels

Rank  Name              From  Last  Total
  1.  Ken Gutermuth      TX    11    114
  2.  John Welage        OH    11     95
  3.  Bruce Reiff        OH    10     73
  4.  Dave Steiner       DE    07     72
  5.  Jason Levine       NY    11     63
  6.  Robert Drozd       IL    06     48
  7.  Stuart Tucker      MD    06     47
  8.  Craig Fox          PA    11     38
  9.  Jeremy Billones    VA    11     30
 10.  Ted Drozd          IL    09     24
 11.  Jim Bell           MD    04     24
 12.  Jeff August        VA    04     24
 13.  Gerald Lientz      VA    08     21
 14.  Mark Kennel        DE    10     18
 15.  Jim Garvey         NY    03     18
 16.  Mike Zorrer        DE    07     15
 17.  John Emery         SC    06     14
 18.  Gadoon Kyrollos    NJ    11     12
 19.  Jennifer Visocnik  IL    08     12
 20.  Lance Fogel        PA    01     12
 21.  Bruce Monnin       OH    02      9
 22.  John Tighe Sr      DE    10      8
 23.  Jeff Finkeldey     OH    05      8
 24.  Josh Githens       SC    04      8
 25.  Raphael Lehrer     CA    09      6
 26.  Anna Palermo       NY    02      6
 27.  Joshua Garton      VA    01      6
 28.  Charles Ellsworth  NY    00      6
 29.  Frank Sinigaglio   NJ    99      6
 30.  Dennis Nicholson   NY    09      4
 31.  Michael Cook       VA    01      4
 32.  John Tighe Jr      NJ    99      4
 33.  Rachel Harley      VA    08      3
 34.  Tom Browne         PA    07      3
 35.  Bert Schoose       IL    05      2
 36.  Peter Martin       NJ    99      1

2011 Laurelists                                          Repeating Laurelists:

Craig Fox, PA
2nd

Gadoon Kyrollos, NJ
3rd

John Welage, OH
4th

Jason Levine, NY
5th

Ken Gutermuth, NC
6th

Past Winners

Bruce Reiff, OH
'92, '96, 1998-99

Stuart Tucker, MD
1994, 2002

Dennis Nicholson, NY
1995

John Coussis, IL
1997

Ken Gutermuth, TX
2000-01

Robert Drozd, IL
2003

Dave Steiner, DE
2004-05

John Welage, PA
2006-07, 2010

Jason Levine, NY
2008

Ted Drozd, IL
2009

Usual Track junkies John Welage, Bruce Reiff, Jim garvey and Jeremy Billones try to qualify for the big track.

Gadoon Kyrollus, John Tighe, Craig Fox and Jason Levine try to bankroll a trip to the Lancaster Downs Final.

More Slots Not the Answer ...   

The horse racing industry has been fading for a long time - relying on adrenaline from legalized slots gambling to prop up its sagging fortunes all over the country. This trend is also visible at WBC where attendance has been trending downwards. At the end of the 2009 racing season, it was decided to increase the demand for slots in the "WBC Derby" with a third day of qualifying on the card for the 2010 season. The wisdom of this decision was confirmed when the Racing Association temporarily reversed the decrease in the number of entries and added a definite rise in the excitement level since the change would not only mean that there would be increased opportunities to play the game, but also to qualify for the big board Final. Despite Win, Place, & Show being a "6-player" game, having more than six in a game ensures that the auction for horses becomes a more crucial part of the game. Bidding is no longer a matter of having to take some nag just to fill the field, but an integral part of one's strategy in securing a mount to control in each race. Alas, despite the extra heat, the field hit a 13-year low in 2011.

The summer racing program at Lancaster Downs got off to its usual fast start with most of the usual handicappers on hand. There were eight programs run over three heats to determine entry into the Final. Ken Gutermuth managed to win two heats - thus narrowing the field to seven punters going for glory. Joining Ken were Jason Levine, Greg Fox, John Welage, Bruce Reiff, Gadoon Kyrollos, and Jeremy Billones. Ten previous championships were represented at the rail for the Final in the form of Reiff (4), Welage (3), Levine (1), and Gutermuth (2).

The stiffness of the competition was represented by the amount of winnings required to gain entrance to the Final. Most of the heats required over $200,000 to be competitive. Indeed, sometimes that wasn't even enough. Levine couldn't win in his first attempt despite garnering over $201K and two-time champion Dave Steiner exceeded $230K in a late heat only to be bested by Levine's $250K. The tracks (with only one exception) were indeed fast.

When it came to the Final, however, the weather apparently turned. All contestants kept their cash close to their vests and were frustrated in the early going by several upsets. This, in turn, kept even the wisest of handicappers from amassing a large lead in the early going. As late as Race 5, most of the field remained competitive and the bidding for the favored mounts became quite spirited.

Despite large sums paid for the favorites (and some not so favored but important horses) the results were still spotty at the finish line. The owner/jockeys were also in tight control of their mounts as the foul claims, which had been prevalent in the heats, were non-existent in the Final. When the mud had dried at the end of the sixth race, we had a new champion to welcome to the club. Jeremy Billones parlayed good race management and careful cash flow into $110K to best the field on a slow track. This was a quite a bit less money than needed for advancement into the high stakes game but more than enough to finish in front. Greg Fox's $90K Placed while Kyrolles Showed with $80K. All three were new to the Winner's Circle. As for the former champions, they all had kept close reins on one another and none finished with more than $60K to show for their efforts. But most telling of all, in the Year of the Decline of the Reiff empire, Bruce was not only denied a plaque but finished dead last and out of the laurels in a field of seven. We're sure that he will be back, however, for WBC 2012.

GM Jim Burnett orchestrates the action for the big board Final.

Bruce Reiff, Craig Fox and Jason Levine have no reason to cheer.

 GM      Jim Burnett  [3rd Year]   NA 
    jimallene@comcast.net   NA 

2011 Preview Page | View the Icon Key | Return to main BPA page