America’s Best Racing, Belle Premium American Vodka, and handicapper (and avid gambler) Monique Vág team up to provide horseplayers with their best bets of the weekend.

Vág will identify her top picks as well as at least one longshot play of the weekend, a nice opportunity to swing for the fences on a win bet or to take a shot with a show bet. She also will occasionally look for strong exacta plays for the weekend or try to spot a nice opportunity for other wagers.

Belle Premium American Vodka is the official vodka of America’s Best Racing. The American-made, American-owned vodka is distilled in Virginia, the birthplace of Thoroughbred breeding and racing in North America. The company’s mascot, Belle ‘n Tonic, broke her maiden at Laurel Park in Maryland last April.

This Weekend’s Bets

Saturday, Jan. 19

Best Bet

Gulfstream Park, Race 10, $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Stakes, 4:15 p.m. ET

#13 Starship Jubilee: The outside post is never easy to win out of, however this runner has taken some noticeable drops in class over her last three and definitely looms as the one to beat. With many runners making their debut routing, having that experience going longer than a mile can prove to be very useful.

Longshot Play

Fair Grounds, Race 8, $75,000 Marie G. Krantz Memorial Stakes, 4:53 p.m. ET

#7 Kabella: She takes a considerable drop in class today which could help get her back into the win column. She’s also really shown an affinity toward the Fair Grounds turf with her three most recent wins coming at this track in consecutive victories. I Iike her chances at a big price.

Best Bet

Fair Grounds, Race 10, Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap, 5:51 p.m. ET

#8 Great Wide Open:  He has won two straight at this very distance and has done so in front-running style. When on the lead he has proven very tough to pass, so getting that early jump out of the gate gives him an edge to secure the front end. Although 2-1 is a short price, he has won his last two comfortably.

Longshot Play

Fair Grounds, Race 12, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes, 6:49 p.m. ET

#11 Tight Ten: He's definitely still a green runner as he has veered into the rail in most of his career starts, along with getting bumped in his stretch bids. Despite the tough racing luck, he has still fared well and has shown the move up to stakes racing isn’t too big as he’s handled the competition well. Timing-wise, he is very quick, and if he can stay out of racing trouble and break toward the front end, he could prove to be very tough to pass late.

Sports Pick of the Weekend

Sunday, Jan. 20

NFL: New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs

PICK: Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City) over 24.5 completions: With how poor the Chiefs have played defensively at times this season, it will be very imperative for their offense to click and put up the points as the Patriots will almost surely find the end zone quite a bit.

With the Patriots’ defense surrendering an average of 359.1 total yards in the regular season and 246.4 passing yards a game, look for the Chiefs to find success through the air and back Over Patrick Mahomes completions of 24.5.