Horse Racing Tournament Talk: Weekend recap, upcoming horse racing tourney's, & big winners [March 28]

It's time for our horse racing tournament talk. We will gather every week to discuss last weekend's tournaments, assess upcoming tournament potential and congratulate our weekend winners. Join us as we bring you everything you need to know about tournaments. 

RELATED: 2026 Kentucky Derby News and Notes

INDEX

Horse Racing Tournament Weekend Recap

The highlight from last week in TwinSpires Tournaments was the Louisiana Derby/Jeff Ruby KDBC Qualifier on Saturday between Fair Grounds and Turfway Park.

There were 56 entries in that qualifier, meaning five KDBC seats were up for grabs! Eight players were able to more than double their starting bankroll of $500 with the final race of the tournament, the Louisiana Derby, causing a ton of movement at the top. 

This weekend's horse racing tournaments' big winners

Ian Weyer was able to sit out the final race with a bankroll of $3,236.40 and held on to the win. Matt Miller went all in on a couple of win bets that included Emerging Market, so he was able to climb to second. Tim Langlois climbed into the final spot for a KDBC seat also with an all-in bet on Emerging Market. 

The other two KDBC seats went to Kenneth King and Matthew McJunkin. Nicholas Smith hit an all-in double on the Louisiana Derby to climb to sixth place and get a nice consolation prize of $3,000. 

Upcoming Tournaments

This weekend highlights the $1,000 Arkansas Derby KDBC Qualifier at Oaklawn Park on Saturday with three differently priced cash tournaments as well! We will also have a $100 cash tournament at UAE Meydan for the UAE Derby and Dubai World Cup!

RELATED: 

• How to bet the 2026 UAE Derby
• How to bet the 2026 Dubai World Cup undercard
• 2026 Dubai World Cup Preview
• 2026 Dubai World Cup storylines: Forever Young on verge of earnings record
• Tipsheet: 2026 Arkansas Derby
• Meet the Contenders: 2026 Arkansas Derby

Live-Money Contest Talk: The Leaderboard Show with HHH Racing Podcast

General Tournament FAQ

How do horse racing tournaments even work?

Horse racing tournaments operate differently than standard parimutuel betting. Instead of wagering against the track's house pool, players compete against one another to earn the highest bankroll or point total within a specific set of races.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TOURNAMENTS

What are the different types of horse racing tournaments?

Feeders: Low buy-in, with a primary goal to win entry to a larger, more expensive, tournament.

NHC Qualifiers: Competitive, with the primary goal to earn a spot at National Horseplayers Championship.

Cash Games: The entry style is direct with the goal to win a percentage of the total entry-fee prize pool. 

How do you bet on horse racing tournaments?

Betting on horse racing tournaments is quick and easy through TwinSpires with plenty of ways to bet. 

• Click on any of our tournament lists that showcases upcoming tournaments.
• Check out our tournaments tab in the top menu navigation
• Or simply click here to discover everything you need to know about tournaments! 

What are the rules of horse racing tournaments?

These are general rules for Tournaments. CLICK HERE TO VIEW TWINSPIRES TOURNAMENT RULES!

• Most tournaments fall into two categories:
  • Mythical Bankroll: Utilizes a mythical budget that does not use real money.
  • Live Bankroll: Uses real money and your bankroll to place real bets. 
• Regardless of format, which are Mythical Bankroll versus Live Bankroll, these general rules still apply.
• Mandatory vs. Optional Races
  • Mandatory means you must place a bet on specific races. 
  • Optional means you have the freedom to choose which races to play from a provided list to reach a required total. 
• Wager Types: Most contests limit you to specific bet types. 
• Deadlines 
  • For Pick and Pray contests, selections must be locked in before the first race of the day.
  • Live formats can usually adjust your pick up until post time of each individual race.