Mark “Pegasus” Smith, who breeds and races thoroughbreds, found himself far behind Manelic “Manny” Minaya in the late stages of the $5,000 Championship event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Grand Casino Tunica. But he got out his whip, surged ahead and crossed the finish line first to win $306,003 plus a seat in next year’s WSOP main event, along with the striking gold ring that heralds his title.

Besides his equine activities, Smith, 54, who is from Georgetown, Kentucky and has three children, is also a real estate developer, owns a waste water public utility company and is the chief deputy coroner for Scott County, Kentucky.