Last Saturday, Mark McGuire captured the $1,000 weekly top prize in the second of 8 $60,000 Beat the Host competitions. He posted total earnings of $165.50 to top runner-up Steve McLaughlin at $161.50. McLaughlin collects $750 in prize money. John Fallon checked in third with $147.50 and added $250 of a weekly $2,000 awarded to top players to his bounty.

Host Millie Ball did her part, as she posted a respectable $34.50 total. The number of players chasing a $6,500 Sweep the Host bonus, awarded to any single player to defeats hosts in all 8 weeks, now stands at 199.

After 2 weeks of play, McGuire’s winning total boosted his cumulative earnings to $311.50. He trails only Thomas Ryan at $323. While 3 of the top 4 cumulative earners--McGuire, William Kimok ($278 total), third Week 1, and Bryan Ingram ($272 total), second Week 1--have garnered weekly prize money, pacesetter Ryan has yet to cash. His steady play will serve him well, especially if he continues on the front end toward one of two top cumulative earnings prizes—a seat in the 2023 Pegasus World Cup Betting Challenge. That’s a $6,000 value!

This week’s host-to-beat is veteran handicapper and crack Santa Anita morning line maker Jon White. He and Jeff Siegel (host in Week 4) originally served as Beat the Host targets nearly 20 years ago, splitting seasonal host duties between them. White always is one of the top-earning hosts so, if you’re gunning for him this week, bring your ‘A’ game.

Register once Free to play Beat the Host and make a single, ‘live’ $5 Win wager on one horse in 8 competition races ($50 total). If your total ‘beats the host’s,’ you advance to the $15,000 Championship Round March 12. If your total is one of the week’s top 3, you earn a share of $2,000 in weekly prizes.

Beat the Host is a fun, challenging and sometimes profitable way to enjoy playing the races and, since competition wagers are ‘live,’ a few winners along the way could put you in the black without winning a prize!

See you Saturday to take on Mr. White.