Horse racing’s second season – the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series and the run-up to the world championships of horse racing at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2 and 3 – 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.

We kicked off “Big-Race Showdown” earlier this year with season one focusing on the run-up to and through the Triple Crown. The final standings for those races can be found below.

For this week, the two featured races are both “Win and You’re In” races at Churchill Downs for the Breeders’ Cup – the Fleur de Lis Handicap and Stephen Foster Handicap, which will both be broadcast on NBC Sports Network!

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. Check next week's Big Race Showdown to find out how the players fared in this inaugural round.

Your players are Eric Bialek, Mark DiLorenzo, Emily Gullikson, Candice Hare, Nicolle Neulist, Dan Tordjman, and Brian Zipse.

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Eric Bialek

National Handicapping Championship Qualifier

$200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap

1. Awestruck

2. Blue Prize

3. Farrell

Alternate: Fuhriously Kissed

$500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap

1. Backyard Heaven

2. Patch

3. Irish War Cry

Alternate: Hawaakom

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Mark DiLorenzo

GiddyUpBets.com Founder and Handicapper

$200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap

1. Valadorna

2. Blue Prize

3. Farrell

Alternate: Awestruck

$500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap

1. Backyard Heaven

2. Matrooh

3. Irish War Cry

Alternate: Patch

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Emily Gullikson

OptixEQ, Tournament Handicapper

$200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap

1. Valadorna

2. Awestruck

3. Blue Prize

Alternate: Mopotism

$500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap

1. Uncle Mojo

2. Backyard Heaven

3. Lookin At Lee

Alternate: Patch

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Candice Hare

TVG On-Air Host and Analyst

$200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap

1. Valadorna

2. Song of Spring

3. Blue Prize

Alternate: Fuhriously Kissed

$500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap

1. Backyard Heaven

2. Hawaakom

3. Uncle Mojo

Alternate: Patch

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Nicolle Neulist

Chart Caller and Freelance Writer

$200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap

1. Song of Spring

2.  Valadorna

3. Blue Prize

Alternate: Fuhriously Kissed

$500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap

1. Backyard Heaven

2. Lookin At Lee

3. Honorable Duty

Alternate: Uncle Mojo

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Dan Tordjman

Video Correspondent and Handicapper for America's Best Racing

$200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap

1. Mopotism

2. Song of Spring

3. Fuhriously Kissed

Alternate: Blue Prize

$500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap

1. Backyard Heaven

2. Honorable Duty

3. Pavel

Alternate: Lookin At Lee

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Brian Zipse

Derby Day Racing Managing Partner

$200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap

1. Song of Spring

2. Valadorna

3. Mopotism

Alternate: Blue Prize

$500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap

1. Backyard Heaven

2. Honorable Duty

3. Patch

Alternate: Irish War Cry