The 2025 Collmus Cup was the highest scoring and most explosive rendition ever witnessed. A record 24-horse field stormed into the gates and from opening day through Bombs Away Labor Day, the skies were filled with bombs.

But no explosion shook the sport more than Ronnie DeAngelo's Week 8 Golden Bet on Don't Jinx Me — a detonation so massive that the payout eclipsed not only every previous single hit in Cup history, but all entire seasons themselves. One swing of the hammer flipped the Hall of Fame upside down.

And the craziest part? Ronnie entered that moment sitting 22nd out of 24 players with just two days remaining in the season. While Ronnie has long been viewed as a talented handicapper, prior Collmus success had eluded him. His best previous finish was just 10th place. But with one glorious Golden Bullet, Ronnie didn't merely take the lead — he authored the largest margin of victory in Cup history. By the end, it was an absolute romp.

The 2025 season also marked a continuation of the rookie revolution. Following back-to-back championships by first-year players, newcomer Dominick Manocchio nearly made it three straight with one of the finest wire-to-wire campaigns the Cup has ever seen. Dom captured 2 weekly titles, posted a record-setting 7 profitable weeks, smashed the 7th biggest hit of all time, and recorded the 5th best individual week in Cup history. His final $3.46 ROI now stands as the 5th best season ever recorded and launches him into 2026 as the lifetime ROI king of the sport.

Meanwhile, preseason favorite Phil Picard returned to the trifecta for the second consecutive season, once again finishing 3rd overall. The King of the Bombs wasted no time announcing his presence, uncorking a Top 10 all-time hit in Week 1 to seize the early lead. But for Phil, the highs came with turbulence. Between Weeks 3 and 7, Phil posted five consecutive goose eggs. Then, just when the lights appeared dimmest, he detonated Thirsty Destiny — the 4th biggest hit in Cup history — catapulting himself back into contention and battling neck-and-neck with Dom for runner-up honors down the stretch.

Defending champion Mason Barnes rounded out the superfecta with another elite performance. Though officially a step back from his 2024 title, many viewed Mason's 2025 campaign as even more impressive. Mason led the league in winners picked and spent seven separate weeks ranked among the Top 3. The consistency proved once and for all that his 2024 championship was no fluke.

Elsewhere across the landscape:

Pam Bushnell blasted Halina's Forte for what was then the 4th biggest hit in Cup history, helping her lead the standings after both Weeks 2 and 4. Pam has now spent six total weeks atop the leaderboard over the past two seasons — more than any player in the field.

Victor Mullen remained near the summit all season long, leading after both the first and second trimesters. Victor also posted 5 profitable weeks for the second straight season, becoming just the second player ever to accomplish that feat.

Between 2024 and 2025, both Victor and Phil Picard assembled 5 consecutive profitable weeks, tying for the second-longest streak in Cup history.

Vern Barnes quietly authored one of the steadiest campaigns in the field, posting 6 profitable weeks — a feat achieved by only four players in Cup history. Remarkably, Vern's overall score actually surpassed his legendary 2022 championship season.

Dave Higley continued his remarkable run of consistency by finishing in the Top 5 for the second consecutive season.

But despite all the chaos, all the leaderboard swings, and all the Hall of Fame carnage, the 2025 season will forever be remembered for one thing: The final detonation of the $10 Golden Bet.

Much like Jared Quigley's 2023 title run, Ronnie's championship reignited a debate that had quietly lingered within the Committee walls for years: Was the Cup becoming too dependent on one gigantic swing? Eventually, the Committee reached its verdict. The Golden Bet had become simply too powerful.

And thus, beginning in 2026, the Collmus Cup officially enters the Two $5 Silver Bullets Era — a new format designed to preserve the drama of premium wagers while dulling the catastrophic force of any single explosion. The bombs remain. But the sport evolves.

The 2024 Collmus Cup was nothing short of legendary — a 22-horse stampede, our largest and most competitive field to date. Among them, six eager rookies saddled up for the first time, and for the second consecutive year, a debutant crossed the wire first.

Mason Barnes — riding with uncanny poise — seized the Cup, following in the hoofprints of 2023's champion Jared Quigley, and etching his name alongside a dynasty of past Barnes champions: Chris Barnes (2019), Sean Barnes (2021), and Vern Barnes (2022). Mason's final bankroll: $399.70, the second-richest winning score in Cup history. While impressive, 2024 slightly trailed the epic pace set in 2023; the legacy of Jared, Joe Barnes, and Sean as the all-time top single-season performances remains intact — for now.

Last year's turning point came in Week 8, when Mason unleashed Rough Draft, storming the tote board with one of the top-three single hits of all time. That rally vaulted him into pole position entering the high-stakes, high-chaos Labor Day "Bombs Away" finale. He held a healthy $63 lead over Phil Picard, with only Dave Higley also within $100.

And then, as always on Labor Day, the rails came off.

Phil went to work early, chipping away like a motivated woodpecker, cutting Mason's margin to just $15 within his first two picks. But then came Del Mar's penultimate race, where 2020 champ Adam Dodge detonated Tahini for a monstrous $162 score — the fourth-largest payout ever. Phil also struck again, finally sticking his neck past Mason. Going into the final race of the season, Adam led Phil by $26 and Mason by $30 and each had one pick left. One race. One chance. One mount left.

And in that climactic race, the Collmus gods smiled upon Captain Sparrow — Mason's final charge. As the dust settled, Mason snatched victory at the wire, followed in the superfecta by Adam (2nd), Phil (3rd), and Dave (4th). This was Adam's 4th second place finish among his 5 seasons. What a ride!

The early going of the meet saw Chris Barnes break sharply from the gate, taking Week 1. Adam Dodge surged to the front in Weeks 2 and 3. Then, crowd favorite Pam Bushnell took the reins, holding the lead from Week 4 until Mason's stretch drive in Week 8.

Other contenders, like Victor Mullen, Jason Manocchio, and Kevin Barnes, were showcased among the top 4 for multiple weeks. Victor, in particular, matched a rare feat — six profitable weeks, tying Joe Barnes' 2023 record.

And let us not overlook the storied Sean Barnes, who claimed his eighth career weekly title in Week 3 — extending his lead in that category by two full lengths.

These are but a handful of the countless storylines woven into a summer of strategy, surprises, and sheer exhilaration. The gate is about to open once more. Who will etch their name in glory in 2025? Saddle up. The chase for immortality begins again.