Dr. John Ferraro, a 65-year-old oncologist from Clifton Park, N.Y., won a fractional interest in a 2-year-old racing prospect syndicated and managed by Sovereign Stable in a prize drawing held July 17.
The winner was selected from 768 entries in a contest sponsored by Sovereign, a horse racing management company. The contest was held exclusively for National Handicapping Championship Tour members.
Ferraro is to travel to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., this weekend to select which one of four unraced juveniles he will become a partner in. The options are: Draft Day, a New York-bred colt by leading stallion Kitten's Joy purchased out of the OBS June sale; Picture Day, a Kentucky-bred by Include who worked one-eighth of a mile in :10 at OBS April; Take a Bow, a New York-bred filly by Utopia acquired at OBS June; and Written in Stars, a Florida-bred filly by Northern Afleet bought at OBS March.
All four are readying for the Saratoga Race Course season.
As a partner, Ferraro will receive 2% of his horse's net earnings throughout its career, which the physician declared would be donated to the Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation in upstate New York.
"I just entered at the last minute and we live right near Saratoga so it's perfect," said Ferraro, who has owned small shares of racehorses in the past. "It's always exciting when you have even a little bit of a horse."
Information on the four prospects mentioned above, and other racing opportunities from Sovereign, can be found online at www.sovereignstable.com.
The winners of additional prizes, including 10 paid NHC Tour memberships for 2015 and Sovereign Stable merchandise, will be announced in next week's edition of the "NHC News" e-newsletter.
The DRF/NHC Tour is a yearlong series offering $200,000 in additional prize money and 20 or more qualifying berths to the National Handicapping Championship. Membership in the 2014 DRF/NHC Tour requires a one-time membership fee of $50, which is valid for the calendar year.
The top 150 NHC Tour points leaders at the end of the year will be guaranteed entry into the 2015 NHC, where the overall season-ending NHC Tour points leader will win $75,000 and be eligible for a $2 million bonus should he or she capture the 2015 NHC.
The 16th Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship, presented by Racetrack Television Network, Sovereign Stable, and Treasure Island Las Vegas, is set for Jan. 23-25, 2015 at Treasure Island. The NHC will offer a record $2 million estimated purse and at least $750,000 to the winner, along with an Eclipse Award as the Handicapper of the Year.