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, Candice Hare, Mike McCormick, Nicolle Neulist, Dan Tordjman, and Brian Zipse.

Our featured races this week are the $2.5 million, Group 2 UAE (United Arab Emirates) Derby on Saturday at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai and the $1 million, Grade 1 Xpressbet.com Florida Derby on Saturday at Gulfstream Park in South Florida.

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Dan Cronin

Horse Racing Handicapper, NHC Qualifier

$2.5 million UAE Derby

1. Divine Image

2. Walking Thunder

3. Jahbath

Alternate: Van Beethoven

$1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby

1. Hidden Scroll

2. Bourbon War

3. Code of Honor

Alternat: Harvey Wallbanger

Winning Top Choice: 5/16

Exacta Earnings: $181.60

Trifecta Earnings: $208.48

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Megan Devine

TVG On-Air Host and Analyst

$2.5 million UAE Derby

1. Divine Image

2. Walking Thunder

3. Plus Que Parfait

Alternate: Stubbins

$1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby

1. Bourbon War

2. Code of Honor

3. Harvey Wallbanger

Alternate: Maximum Security

Winning Top Choice: 2/16

Exacta Earnings: $203.40

Trifecta Earnings: $517.28

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Emily Gullikson

OptixEQ, Tournament Handicapper

$2.5 million UAE Derby

1. Superior

2. Divine Image

3. Derma Louvre

Alternate: Walking Thunder

$1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby

1. Hidden Scroll

2. Code of Honor

3. Garter and Tie

Alternate: Bourbon War

Winning Top Choice: 1/16

Exacta Earnings: $85.00

Trifecta Earnings: $0

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Candice Hare

TVG On-Air Host and Analyst

$2.5 million UAE Derby

1. Derma Louvre

2. Van Beethoven

3. Divine Image

$1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby

1. Hidden Scroll

2. Code of Honor

3. Maximum Security

Winning Top Choice: 5/16

Exacta Earnings: $177.80

Trifecta Earnings: $0

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Mike McCormick

Horse Racing Writer, Handicapper

$2.5 million UAE Derby

1. Golden Jaguar

2. Walking Thunder

3. Stubbins

Alternate: Swift Rose

$1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby

1. Bourbon War

2. Maximum Security

3. Hidden Scroll

Alternate: Code of Honor

Winning Top Choice: 3/16

Exacta Earnings: $71.20

Trifecta Earnings: $14.80

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Nicolle Neulist

Arlington Park Chart Caller and Freelance Writer

$2.5 million UAE Derby

1. Stubbins

2. Divine Image

3. Walking Thunder

Alternate: Jahbath

$1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby

1. Maximum Security

2. Hidden Scroll

3. Bourbon War

Alternate: Code of Honor

Winning Top Choice: 6/16

Exacta Earnings: $185.20

Trifecta Earnings: $321.68

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Dan Tordjman

Correspondent and Handicapper for America's Best Racing

$2.5 million UAE Derby

1. Divine Image

2. Van Beethoven

3. Plus Que Parfait

Alternate: Walking Thunder

$1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby

1. Hidden Scroll

2. Bodexpress

3. Bourbon War

Alternate: Code of Honor

Winning Top Choice: 2/16

Exacta Earnings: $65.20

Trifecta Earnings: $0

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Brian Zipse

Derby Day Racing Managing Partner 

$2.5 million UAE Derby

1. Jahbath

2. Divine Image

3. Stubbins

Alternate: Walking Thunder

$1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby

1. Harvey Wallbanger

2. Code of Honor

3. Hidden Scroll

Alternate: Bourbon War

Winning Top Choice: 2/16

Exacta Earnings: $62.40

Trifecta Earnings: $113.20