For the third year in a row, 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 every weekend leading up to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, beginning with the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 26. The handicappers face off in what we like to call “Big-Race Showdown.”

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 $2 exacta and $2 trifecta box bets of each player’s top three selections. We will also be keeping track of which player correctly selects the most winners. Your 2019 players are Dan Cronin, Megan Devine, Emily Gullikson,  Mike McCormick, Nicolle Neulist, Dan Tordjman, and Brian Zipse.

Our featured races this week are the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on Friday at Pimlico Race Course, which will be televised on NBCSN from 3 - 5 p.m. ET, and the 144^thPreakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course, which will be televised during the NBC broadcast from 5 - 7:15 p.m. ET.

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Dan Cronin

Horse Racing Handicapper, NHC Qualifier

$250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes 

1. Point of Honor

2. Always Shopping 

3. Sweet Diane 

Alternate: Brill

$1.5 million Preakness Stakes

1. Bourbon War

2. Improbable

3. Owendale

Alternate: Anothertwistafate

Winning Top Choice: 5/25

Exacta Earnings: $256.40

Trifecta Earnings: $434.88

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Megan Devine

TVG On-Air Host and Analyst

$250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes 

1. Cookie Dough

2. Always Shopping

3. Off Topic

Alternate: Point of Honor

$1.5 million Preakness Stakes

1. War of Will

2. Improbable

3. Anothertwistafate

Alternate: Owendale

Winning Top Choice: 4/25

Exacta Earnings: $232.40

Trifecta Earnings: $587.08

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Emily Gullikson

OptixEQ, Tournament Handicapper

$250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes 

1. Point of Honor

2. Off Topic

3. Always Shopping

Alternate: Ulele

$1.5 million Preakness Stakes

1. Win Win Win

2. Alwaysmining

3. Bourbon War

Alternate: Anothertwistafate

Winning Top Choice: 1/25

Exacta Earnings: $85.00

Trifecta Earnings: $0

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Mike McCormick

Horse Racing Writer, Handicapper

$250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes 

1. Off Topic

2. Brill

3. Always Shopping

Alternate: Point of Honor

$1.5 million Preakness Stakes

1. Signalman

2. Bourbon War

3. Improbable 

Alternate: Anothertwistafate

Winning Top Choice: 5/25

Exacta Earnings: $118.80

Trifecta Earnings: $38.40

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Nicolle Neulist

Arlington Park Chart Caller and Freelance Writer

$250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes 

1. Always Shopping

2. Point of Honor

3. Off Topic

Alternate: Sweet Diane

$1.5 million Preakness Stakes

1. War of Will

2. Alwaysmining

3. Bourbon War

Alternate: Owendale

Winning Top Choice: 7/25

Exacta Earnings: $345.60

Trifecta Earnings: $752.68

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Dan Tordjman

Correspondent and Handicapper for America's Best Racing

$250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes 

1. Point of Honor

2. Sweet Diane

3. Always Shopping

Alternate: Las Setas

$1.5 million Preakness Stakes

1. Bodexpress

2. Anothertwistafate

3. Laughing Fox

Alternate: Improbable 

Winning Top Choice: 3/25

Exacta Earnings: $80.20

Trifecta Earnings: $69.80

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Brian Zipse

Derby Day Racing Managing Partner 

$250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes 

1. Point of Honor

2. Sweet Diane

3. Always Shopping

Alternate: Brill

$1.5 million Preakness Stakes

1. Win Win Win

2. Bourbon War

3. Laughing Fox

Alternate: Owendale

Winning Top Choice: 2/25

Exacta Earnings: $96.00

Trifecta Earnings: $183.00