Congratulations to long-time Virginia horseplayer Stanley Bavlish, who was selected for induction into the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship’s (NHC) Hall of Fame!
He is among five esteemed handicappers who represent the eighth class of NHC Hall of Fame inductees and will be recognized during the NHC Champions Dinner this Sunday at the conclusion of the 22nd NTRA National Horseplayers Championship at Bally’s Las Vegas.
Bavlish won the 2007 NHC after qualifying at Colonial Downs and made the Final Table in 2016. He has remained among the most consistent and respected contest players. A three-time finisher in the top 10 percent at the NHC, Bavlish finished ninth at the Final Table in 2016. He was a top 10 finisher at the Colonial Downs 2019 tourney as well in New Kent.
He is the longtime owner of multiple Subway restaurants and director of the Independent Purchasing Cooperative for Subway franchisees. Bavlish is a 14-time NHC qualifier, a member of the NHC Players’ Committee and an NHC Mentor.
“I am honored and humbled to be inducted into the NHC Hall of Fame,” said Bavlish. “I want to thank the NTRA for creating this event that I love. I also want to thank everyone that supported me with Hall of Fame votes.”
More on the NHC Hall of Fame
Bavlish, Beychok, Gallo, Gutfreund and Matties join 14 past Hall of Fame inductees: Ray Arsenault (2021), Roger Cettina (2020), Steve Crist (2016), Richard Goodall (2020), Sally Goodall (2021), Chris Larmey (2018), Mike Mayo (2015), Ron Rippey (2015), Paul Shurman (2017), Trey Stiles (2019), Bryan Wagner (2019), Judy Wagner (2016), Steve Wolfson Sr. (2017), and Steve Wolfson Jr. (2018).
Honorees were chosen by their peers. A total of 693 NHC Tour Members were eligible to vote and a total of 248 ballots were cast.
The main criteria for nomination to the NHC Hall of Fame are as follows:
- Competed in NHC-sanctioned tournaments;
- Played consistently well over an extended period of time;
- Gained the respect of peers; and
- Contributed to the overall growth and success of NHC tournament play, with indelible positive and lasting results.
The NTRA National Horseplayers Championship is presented by Racetrack Television Network, Caesars Entertainment and Bally’s Las Vegas. The Final Table is sponsored by Caesars Sportsbook and Global Tote, A BetMakers Company. Official partners include 1/ST BET, Daily Racing Form, EquinEdge, FanDuel Group, Four Roses Bourbon, NYRA Bets, Race Lens and TVG.
Outlets that held qualifiers to the 2022 NHC included Aqueduct, At the Races with Steve Byk, Bally’s Las Vegas, Belmont Park, Breeders’ Cup, Canterbury Park, Colonial Downs, Del Mar, Gulfstream Park, Hawthorne, Hialeah, Horseplayers.com, Horsetourneys.com, Indiana Grand, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs, Little Red Feather, Lone Star Park, Los Alamitos, Meadowlands, Monmouth Park, NTRA, NYRA Bets, South Florida HBPA, Santa Anita, Saratoga, Sport of Kings, Race Lens, Tampa Bay Downs, The Big One, TourneyBets, Treasure Island, TVG, Xpressbet.
To sign up for the NHC Tour, go to www.ntra.com/membership.
