Robert Gilbert is the leader after the first day of the annual National Horseplayers Championship at Treasure Island Las Vegas.

Gilbert’s Day 1 score was $198.20 after placing mythical $2 win-place wagers on 18 races Friday, eight mandatory races and 10 optional races. Gilbert, a 68-year-old Pennsylvanian who’s playing the NHC for the fifth time, had a $14.20 lead over second-place John Pinder, while there was a larger gap to third-place Matthew Ache, who had $150.20. Well known tournament player Christian Hellmers was next with $150.

Gilbert, according to a release from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, got off to a strong and lucky start when he backed Wicked Boy in the tournament’s first mandatory race, the fourth at Tampa Bay Downs. Gilbert had planned to support the race favorite but moved onto Wicked Boy when his initial choice was scratched. Wicked Boy paid $32.60 to win and $13.40 to place, the longest-priced winner among the mandatory races.

The mandatories produced only so-called cap horse, War Ballad, who finished second in Oaklawn’s fifth race and paid $28.60 to place in the pari-mutuel pool. NHC win prices are capped at 20-1, place at 10-1.  

Saturday’s format follows along the same lines as Friday, with players required to make a selection in eight mandatory races and 10 optional races. The top 10-percent of entries after Day 2 qualify for the the semi-final round Sunday, with the remainder of the entries eligible for a consolation tournament Saturday. The 10 highest bankrolls from the semi-final round move on to a final table later Sunday.

There are more than 600 entries (many players have two entries) in this year’s NHC, and no one had a worse day Friday than Dave Gutfreund, the NHC 2018 tour leader eligible for a $5 million bonus were he to also win the NHC this weekend. Gutfreund played two entries Friday and both failed to produce any return whatsoever. Former NHC champion Michael Beychok also was blanked on one of his entries. Tough game, this.