Hawthorne Race Course is bringing together an elite cast of horseplayers for its fifth invitational contest on Sunday and a live stream of the event will include strategy discussions with some of the participants. There are more than 60 horseplayers set to compete in a group that includes eight national horseplayer champions; seven National Thoroughbred Racing Association Hall of Fame players; three Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge winners; and two Pegasus Challenge winners, according to Hawthorne. Eddie Olcyzk, who won last year’s event on the back of an 80-1 longshot, returns to compete in the state where the United States Hockey Hall of Famer played for the Chicago Blackhawks. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. There also will be two invitations extended to the winners of a public contest hosted by Hawthorne on Saturday. It will be available at seven of its betting bars in the Chicago area. “We love racing and the talent of the horses and jockeys on the track, but there’s also so much talent, skill, and intelligence that goes into betting on the races,” John Walsh, general manager of Hawthorne Race Course, said in a press release. “That’s what we want to showcase: the players. Pretty much everyone in this room has won a major contest and is willing to put it all on the line to do so. We want to share this expertise and excitement with sports fans across the country.” The Hawthorne Invitational will take place at the Club Hawthorne betting bar in Crestwood, Ill. There is a $50,000 prize pool and it includes entries to the BCBC, NHC, Pegasus Challenge, Keeneland Fall Contest, and Hawthorne’s Thanksgiving contests, as well as a $1 million bonus for the NHC and $10,000 cash, according to a press release. The Hawthorne Invitational calls for players to wager a $2,500 bankroll, with $250 wagers on four mandatory and four optional races. The final race calls for a minimum $500 wager. The event starts at 11 a.m. Central and the live stream on Hawthorne’s YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter channels will start at 1:30 p.m. The hosts for the livestream discussing strategy with players are Emily Gullikson of Hawthorne; Ed DeRosa of Horse Racing Nation; and Mike Somich of “The Handle.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.