Dave Smyth, a financial planner and horseplayer from Lexington, KY, saved his best for last at the 2025 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC), parlaying an $8,000 Daily Double on the final two legs into a record $607,800 payday.“As a financial planner, I put puzzles together,” he said.Smyth did the bulk of his damage in the second half of the Saturday program.“I absolutely loved Forever Young,” he recalled of the eventual GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic winner. “He had tactical speed and was ready to fire.”In addition to betting Forever Young across the board, Smyth went big on a Forever Young exacta box with defending champion Sierra Leone, which grossed $17,150.Smyth finished with a total score of 144,800 points and combined those earnings with his first-place prize of $463,000 for the $607,800 total. Ken McMahan of La Quinta, CA, finished second with 139,930 points, and combined with a second prize of $308,600, his total earnings were $448,530. McMahan also played a second entry and finished in eighth place with 82,950 points, and adding a prize pool of $51,400 gave him a second-entry total of $134,350 and total tournament earnings of $582,880. Michael Martinelli finished in third place with 105,000 points. Adding the third-place prize money of $167,200, his total grand total reached $272,200.“As a handicapper, this was a thrill of a lifetime and a dream come true, and I never imagined I would win the BCBC when my grandmother first took me to Keeneland for a day of fun with friends,” said Smyth. “To be live at Del Mar is a moment that I'll never forget. I love the horse industry, and I try to make sure, as a player and a fan, that I can help future generations enjoy the sport even more.”As a commitment to the future of the sport, Smyth is donating 5% of the first-place prize to Amplify Horse Racing. The organization fosters Thoroughbred industry education, mentorship, and career opportunities with horse programs for youth and young adults.The tournament players generated a record $8,902,863 in wagering handle. Breeders' Cup tournament wagering at Del Mar totaled 22% of the on-track handle.In the 2025 BCBC, each player was required to fund a $2,500 buy-in and a $7,500 betting bankroll ($10,000 total). All buy-in monies were applied to the prize pool, making a record total prize pool of $1,607,500. Players made real wagers (win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, and daily double) with their $7,500 bankroll over the two days (22 races) and kept all monies earned from their wagering.Click here for the full BCBC results.The post Smyth ‘Solves Puzzle’, Wins 2025 BCBC appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.