Horse racing’s second season – the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series and the run up to the world championships of horse racing at Del Mar on Nov. 4 and 5 – is underway! That means there’s great racing action nearly every weekend from here on out. America’s Best Racing is challenging some of the brightest minds in horse betting to come up with their top three picks for key races leading up to the Breeders’ Cup.

The players' picks will be posted here and a running bankroll will be kept to track their success all year long. Bankrolls will be tabulated on the basis of a $2 win bet on top selections and $2 exacta and $2 trifecta box bets of each player’s top three selections. Your players are Eric Bialek, Acacia Courtney, C.J. Johnsen, Bryan Simpkins, and Dan Tordjman.

For this week, the featured races are the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Mile, and the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes, a “Win and You’re In” race for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Eric Bialek (VIEW BIO)

National Handicapping Championship Qualifier

Iroquois Stakes 

1. Hollywood Star

2. Big Gemmy

3. Ten City

Alternate: Flameaway

Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes

1. Lancaster Bomber

2. Deauville

3. World Approval

Alternate:  Tower of Texas

Top Selection Winners: 7/16

Exacta Winnings: $101.40

Trifecta Winnings: $43.00

Acacia Courtney (VIEW BIO)

TV Analyst/Host for Gulfstream Park

Iroquois Stakes 

1. Hollywood Star

2. Ten City

3. Flameaway

Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes

1. World Approval

2. Lancaster Bomber

3. Long On Value

Top Selection Winners: 5/16

Exacta Winnings: $118.90

Trifecta Winnings: $0

C.J. Johnsen (VIEW BIO)

Director of Wagering for Kentucky Downs 

Iroquois Stakes 

1. Hollywood Star

2. Mo Diddley

3. Ten City

Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes

1. World Approval

2. Tower of Texas

3. Deauville

Top Selection Winners: 6/16

Exacta Winnings: $99.30

Trifecta Winnings: $41.88

Bryan Simpkins (VIEW BIO)

Handicapper and Writer for Danonymous Racing

Iroquois Stakes 

1. Hollywood Star

2. Flameaway

3. Ten City

Alternate: The Tabulator

Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes

1. Lancaster Bomber

2. Dutch Connection

3. World Approval

Alternate: Deauville

Top Selection Winners: 10/16

Exacta Winnings: $108.90

Trifecta Winnings: $52.08

Dan Tordjman (VIEW BIO)

Video Correspondent, Handicapper and Writer for America's Best Racing

Note: Weekly selections made using STATS Race Lens

Iroquois Stakes 

1. The Tabulator

2. Big Gemmy

3. Mo Diddley

Alternate: Hollywood Star

Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes

1. Lancaster Bomber

2. Deauville

3. Mondialiste

Alternate: Tower of Texas

Top Selection Winners: 1/16

Exacta Winnings: $1,147.71

Trifecta Winnings: $3,844.60