Rolling Meadows resident places in track's contest

Dave Flanzbaum, a 42-year-old resident of Rolling Meadows, captured second-place honors in last weekend's Arlington qualifier for the Daily Racing Form-National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada in January.

The top three finishers in the local contest received automatic berths in Nevada's national championship, but because Flanzbaum had won a previous qualifier at Keeneland in the spring, a fourth-place finisher was also awarded a berth.

"I've only been doing the contests about three years," said Flanzbaum, "but I've been really lucky this year. I've been coming to the track since I was a kid and playing horses most of my life, but believe me, playing horses in these contests is a totally different thing."

Flanzbaum also finished fourth in Arlington's previous qualifier earlier this season, and earned a berth in the 2009 championship. Flanzbaum currently owns seven horses in a partnership that races under the nom-de-course of Butterfly Stable with longtime Arlington-based trainer Dave Kassen.

Pigskins & ponies: Arlington Park guests and football fans are reminded that the second session of the "Pigskins and Ponies Pick-6 Challenge" is being offered this Sunday.

Football fans can test their Pick-6 abilities in a free contest that challenges them to pick three winners of selected horse races and three winners of selected football games that day.