Cancer survivor Boustany leads horseplayers championship
In the seven times Louisiana dentist Francis Boustany hasbeen in the National Horseplayers Championship, he has been the leader oncebefore.
“I think I came in like 39th or something,” Boustany said Fridayafternoon. “I was in the lead one day for that one, but I didn’t hold the leadthe entire day. I had it about two-thirds of the day, and then I caved in atthe end.”
For at least this one day in 2023, Boustany will go to bedin first place among the 779 entries in the 24th NHC, which will be worth$800,000 in cash to the eventual winner.
A survivor of throat cancer and the cousin of a formerCongressman who was instrumental in passing an important tax break forhorseplayers seven years ago, Boustany vaulted to the top of the standings witha pair of long-shot winners at Oaklawn and Aqueduct.
Playing two tracks at once is nothing for Boustany, 72, aLafayette, La., resident who has been playing the horses for more than 50 years.
“I usually handicap about eight tracks at the same time,” hesaid. “My friends always tease me, and I say I’m just kind of sick in a goodway with horses.”
Under the Gun, a 4-year-old gelding, won at 17-1 for Boustanyat Oaklawn in Friday’s third race, a six-furlong test for $32,000 claimers who werenon-winners of two.
“He was by Gun Runner,” Boustany said. “He looked like alate developer. He broke his maiden at Turfway, and the track was off atOaklawn. I thought maybe some of that synthetic breeding for an off track mightkick in. I was a little concerned. Steve Asmussen was the trainer, but he hadhis son (Keith) riding. You’re up against all these accomplished jockeys, so Iwas afraid.”
His fear was allayed when Under the Gun rallied from fifthand got to the wire for a one-length victory.
That was followed at Aqueduct by a fifth-race win forNecromancer, another 4-year-old gelding who came through in a $40,000 claimingrace also for non-winners of two. Dylan Davis rode him for trainer Bruce Levinefrom seventh to first, again by a length, to pay off at 11-1.
“He was coming off a layoff, and he was coming out of a keyrace where two or three won the following time out, so I keyed off of that,” Boustanysaid.
At 6-1, Takntothecleaners also scored for Boustany when heled from gate to wire in a one-mile turf allowance at Fair Grounds.
By the end of the day, Boustany was up to $149.40. Eachplayer made 18 imaginary $2 win-place bets, eight on a common set of mandatoryraces and 10 other optional plays. Albion Benton, 42, of Manchester, N.H., wassecond with $135.30; Cara Yarusso, 49, of Eagan, Minn., third with $133.40; andKen Seeman, 60, Wantagh, N.Y., fourth with $129.20.
Scores carry over to Saturday, when each player must playanother 18 races. The top 78 players, or 10 percent, will be guaranteed atleast $12,050 each when they advance to Sunday’s semifinals in this year’s NHCworth $4,442,019 in cash and prizes.
Boustany, whose cousin Charles Boustany was a six-term RepublicanCongressman from Lafayette, already counted himself a winner by simply being inthe Horseshoe Las Vegas event center. Last year at this time he was battlingthroat cancer.
“I had 35 radiation treatments for pharyngeal cancer,” hesaid. “I just kind of gutted it out. I lost about 50 pounds. It’s a heck of away to go on a diet, but I’m cancer-free right now, thank the good Lord. I’mvery thankful to be here.”
With his wife Connie alongside, Boustany finds himself withoutsome of his horseplaying friends who have been with him at past NHCs.
“A couple of my buddies, Craig Hom from San Francisco andLucas Van Zandt from Connecticut, they normally qualify like clockwork. Butthey did not this year, so I want to give a big hello to them.”
Boustany himself did not get into the tournament until hequalified in an online event at HorsePlayers.com last month.
“I probably played in five or six tournaments all year (in2022), because my health had been so bad,” Boustany said. “But I got lucky.”
Lucky and blessed. And in the lead at the NHC for a day.
“You know that old saying stop the race?” he said. “Now it’s stop thetournament.”
Coverage of the National Horseplayers Championship is made possible in part by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, which is providing hotel accommodations to Horse Racing Nation.
