July 12 & 13, 2003

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Kopacz win $68,000 Bradley Teletheater Handicapping Contest

Wins $20,000 and qualifies for Daily Racing Form/  National Thoroughbred Racing Association Tournament

 Windsor Locks, CT – July 13, 2003 – John Kopacz made three winning wagers on the second day of the 6^th Annual $68,000 Bradley Teletheater Handicapping Challenge  Sunday, July 13 to win the tournament.

     Kopacz, a 59- year old Sturbridge, MA, resident, won first place prize money of $20,000. Paul Stath, of Floral Park, NY, was second earning $10,000. The first two finishers qualify for the Daily Racing Form / National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s $200,000 Handicapping contest in Las Vegas in 2004.

    Kopacz became a thoroughbred racing fan while attending the University of Miami. “The school was about seven furlongs from the old Tropical Park Racetrack. I galloped horses, but realized it was better to bet on them than break bones riding them.” Kopacz, who is currently an Energy Advisor with the Wooster Community Action Committee, plays the races on the weekends.

    Contestants must make ten mythical $200 picks each contest day from Belmont, Monmouth or Hollywood Park. The person with the most contest dollars after the two day contest wins the tournament.

    After the first day Kopacz was in sixth place with $6,120 contest dollars. On Sunday he made $200 win bets on Famous Call ($41) in the fourth race from Monmouth , Follow Me Home ($12.20) in Monmouth’s 9^th race and Salute Her ($40) in Belmont’s 10^th race.

     His contest total of  $15,540 broke last year’s record of $13,700 set by Horse Player Magazine publisher, Tom Quigley. (Quigley was183rd this year). 

   Paul, Stath, a 52- year old welder who lives by the philosophy that “you have to make a bet everyday, because you never know when you are walking around lucky,” was second with  $14,570 contest dollars. He was 88^th going into the second day of the contest. Midway through Sunday afternoon he had the lead by a couple of hundred dollars, but said he got conservative and didn’t play the long shots he liked for place and show. Instead he went with moderately  priced horses to win. He wagered $200 on Famous Call ($41) in Monmouth’s 4^th race followed by Pattiano ($42, Belmont race 4) and Medieval Salute ($8.30, Belmont race 6). In Monmouth’s eighth race he wagered $100 win and place on Autonomy ($9.20 to place) and in Monmouth’s ninth race he wagered  $200 to win on Follow Me Home ($12.20). With his last play, he bet $200 to win on During ($18.40) in Hollywood’s sixth race.          

     Wayne Kwan of Vancouver, Canada was third ($12,320) winning $6, 500 in prize 

     Other notable  finishers were New York Daily News handicapper Jerry Bossert ( 7^th winning $3,000); racing author Steve Davidowitz (19th, winning $475), WNNZ sports show host Sabastian ( 32^nd); Springfield Republican sports writer Ted Ribeiro (44^th), NY Post and 1998 Bradley Champion Ed Fountaine (zero contest dollars), Ed Gray, Boston Herald (154th), Dave Crupi 1999 Bradley Champion (200th), John  Gilberg 2000 Bradley Champion (zero contest dollars), Dan Nowak, New Haven Register (54^th)  and  NTRA National Champion, Steve Wolfson, Jr. (zero contest dollars ).

    The next contest will be the $5,000 On the Wire Tournament July 19. Information can be found at www.ctotb.com or call 1-800-468-2260.

     In addition to the Bradley Teletheater, Autotote has eleven other locations. Sports Haven in New Haven, RaceView Centers in New Britain, Hartford, Torrington and Bristol and branches in Bridgeport, East Haven, Milford, Norwalk, Waterbury and West Haven.