If you’re a tournament player still looking for an NHC qualifying spot as of February 2026, you’ll be happy to know that there are still opportunities to earn a spot in the 2026 NHC Finals in Las Vegas.
A last-minute scramble for NHC qualifying berths is not a new phenomenon, as the urgency to get into the NHC field of approximately 800 entries increases this time of year. For this reason, there are several last-minute contests aimed directly at hopefuls still on the outside looking in.
In addition to the online competitions still available on the feeder sites HorseTourneys.com and HorsePlayers.com, some places will soon offer “Last Chance” tournaments.
Let’s take a look at this year’s offering for those still trying to earn a qualifying spot for the NHC in Las Vegas. If you are already qualified for the NHC 2026, some of these tournaments can also be played as a “first chance” to qualify for the next NHC final. In other words: you too can be one of the first to qualify for the NHC 2027.
Still trying to get your ticket for an upcoming NHC? Read on for the overview of prominent Last Chance qualifiers still on the calendar. Good luck, we hope to see you in Las Vegas!
February 20-21
Tampa Bay Downs High Rollers Handicapping Competition
The Tampa Bay Downs High Rollers Handicapping Contest costs $1,000 to enter, including a $500 entry fee and $500 going to a player’s live match bankroll. The top two overall finishers will earn NHC qualifying berths for 2026 or 2027. Daily winners on Day 1 and Day 2 of the tournament will also win NHC berths. The top players on the two-day leaderboard will earn their share of $32,000 in prize money (based on 100 entries). The race format is $50 in bets (limited to win, place or show) on a total of 10 races with five bets on Friday and five bets on Saturday. The players with the highest earnings will be the winners and both the daily and overall rankings will be in play on both days. The $1,000 buy-in must be paid no later than February 20 at 11am. Call 813-855-4401 ext. 1368 to enter by phone.
February 21
Monmouth Park $300 Last Chance NHC Qualifier
Monmouth Park is a leader in offering on-track NHC qualifiers throughout the year, so it’s no surprise that Monmouth would host one of the most prominent Last Chance tournaments for the NHC just before the conclusion of the 2026 main event. Monmouth Park’s $300 Last Chance NHC Qualifier is an on-track competition with a $300 buy-in, including a $150 entry fee and a $150 live match bankroll (maximum two entries per person). The top two finishers will qualify for the 2026 or 2027 NHC based on 100 entries, but Monmouth could add an additional spot if they top 100. Players can only bet on win, placement and show on the day’s race cards of Aqueduct, Gulfstream and Tampa Bay Downs to accumulate the highest total bankroll. Based on 100 entries, cash prizes of $7,500 will be awarded. The competition will only involve direct cash registration on the day of the event at Monmouth Park. For more information, contact Brian Skirka at bskirka@monmouthpark.com.
February 21
Twinspires $1,000 Oaklawn NHC/KDBC Qualifier
Twinspires.com is hosting a one-day online competition on February 21 with a $1,000 buy-in, including a $500 entry fee and a $500 betting bankroll. Players can place win, place, show, exacta, trifecta and Daily Double bets on Oaklawn Park’s all-day schedule. The participants who accumulate the highest bankrolls are the winners. In addition to pari-mutuel earnings, winners can also choose between qualifying spots for the NHC or the Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge (KDBC). Based on 75 entries, Twinspires offers seven qualifying spots.
February 21 and 28
Horseplayers.com tournaments are only open to players who have not qualified
As the name suggests, these tournaments are organized online at Horseplayers.com is only open to NHC Tour players who have not yet qualified for the 2026 finals. Entry into the February 21 tournament costs $210 and the February 28 tournament costs $500. Horseplayers.com’s typical win-and-place tournament rules apply, with multiple NHC qualifying spots offered on both days.
March 12
NHC Last Chance/First Chance Match – Horseshoe Las Vegas
The granddaddy of all Last Chance/First Chance tournaments takes place on the eve of the NHC at the NHC location at Horseshoe Las Vegas and is organized by the NTRA. The event has grown so big that if it were a standalone tournament, it would still be one of the biggest tournaments of the entire year, both in terms of monetary amount and number of entries. The NHC Last Chance is also still growing. The number of registrations for this tournament has increased annually by no less than 40% since the draw of 532 registrations in 2022. More than 1,000 registrations are expected in March 2026.
Entry into the 2026 NHC Last Chance/First Chance Contest costs $600 (up from $500 in recent years) and the on-site only tournament is a direct qualifier for the NHC starting the next day. There is no better place to try to qualify for the NHC. Based on an estimate of more than 1,000 entries, the 2026 tournament will award a staggering number of approximately 45 NHC qualifying spots (the exact number will be determined by the actual number of entries). NTRA’s takeout for this tournament is 8%, after which 70% of the entry fee goes directly to the prize pool for the NHC main event. The remaining 30% of the entry fee will be returned as a cash prize to the top winners.
The NHC Last Chance/First Chance is one of the few remaining tournament events that uses the traditional $2 win-and-place myth money format. Following the format of the NHC Finals, players will place a certain number of $2 Mythical WP bets on a selection of mandatory and optional simulcast races on Thursday. Go to the tournament section of the NTRA at www.NTRA.com/NHC for everything you need to know.
#Lastminute #opportunities #qualify #National #Horseplayers #Championship