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 for this week: the $300,000, Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, the $400,000, Grade 2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs, and the $200,000, Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park. The Gotham Stakes, Tampa Bay Derby, and Jeff Ruby Steaks will be showcased during a three-hour broadcast of "Fox Sports Saturday At The Races" presented by America's Best Racing, Runhappy and Claiborne Farm on FS2 from 4 to 7 p.m. ET. 

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Dan Cronin

Horse Racing Handicapper, NHC Qualifier

$300,000 Gotham Stakes

1. Instagrand

2. Mind Control

3. Haikal

$400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby

1. Dream Maker

2. Win Win Win

3. Admire

 $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks

1. Somelikeithotbrown

2. Five Star General

3. Curlin Grey

Winning Top Choice: 4/9

Exacta Earnings: $65.20

Trifecta Earnings: $0

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Megan Devine

TVG On-Air Host and Analyst

$300,000 Gotham Stakes

1. Mind Control

2. Instagrand

3. Haikal

Alternate: Not That Brady

$400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby

1. Win Win Win

2. Dream Maker

3. Tacticus

Alternate: Well Defined

 $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks

1. Somelikeithotbrown

2. Five Star General

3. Skywire 

Alternate: Twelfthofneverland

Winning Top Choice: 1/9

Exacta Earnings: $87.00

Trifecta Earnings: $210.40

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Emily Gullikson

OptixEQ, Tournament Handicapper

$300,000 Gotham Stakes

1. Tikhvin Flew

2. Instagrand

3. Haikal

Alternate: Much Better

$400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby

1. Dream Maker

2. Win Win Win

3. Outshine

Alternate: Admire

 $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks

1. Five Star General

2. Skywire 

3. Somelikeithotbrown

Alternate: Curlin Grey

Winning Top Choice: 0/9

Exacta Earnings: $16.60

Trifecta Earnings: $0

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Candice Hare

TVG On-Air Host and Analyst

$300,000 Gotham Stakes

1. Haikal

2. Instagrand

3. Knicks Go

Alternate: Family Biz

$400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby

1. Outshine

2. Tacticus

3. Dream Maker

Alternate: Well Defined

 $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks

1. Curlin Grey

2. Dabo

3. Skywire 

Alternate: Counter Offer 

Winning Top Choice: 4/9

Exacta Earnings: $48.60

Trifecta Earnings: $0

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Mike McCormick

Horse Racing Writer, Handicapper

$300,000 Gotham Stakes

1. Not That Brady

2. Instagrand

3. Tikhvin Flew

Alternate: Haikal

$400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby

1. Win Win Win

2. Well Defined

3. Zenden

Alternate: The Right Path

 $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks

1. Somelikeithotbrown

2. Skywire 

3. Five Star General

Alternate: Twelfthofneverland

Winning Top Choice: 2/9

Exacta Earnings: $48.60

Trifecta Earnings: $14.80

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Nicolle Neulist

Arlington Park Chart Caller and Freelance Writer

$300,000 Gotham Stakes

1. Haikal

2. Instagrand

3. Mind Control

Alternate: Tikhvin Flew

$400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby

1. Well Defined

2. Win Win Win

3. The Right Path

Alternate: Zenden

 $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks

1. Somelikeithotbrown

2. Five Star General

3. Dynamic Racer

Alternate: Skywire 

Winning Top Choice: 4/9

Exacta Earnings: $36.80

Trifecta Earnings: $14.80

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Dan Tordjman

Correspondent and Handicapper for America's Best Racing

$300,000 Gotham Stakes

1. Haikal

2. Instagrand

3. Not That Brady

Alternate: Tikhvin Flew

$400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby

1. Win Win Win

2. Tacticus

3. Dream Maker

Alternate: Zenden

 $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks

1. Twelfthofneverland

2. Dabo

3. Curlin Grey

Alternate: Five Star General

Winning Top Choice: 1/9

Exacta Earnings: $65.20

Trifecta Earnings: $0

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Brian Zipse

Derby Day Racing Managing Partner 

$300,000 Gotham Stakes

1. Instagrand

2. Haikal

3. Tikhvin Flew

Alternate: Mind Control

$400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby

1. Dream Maker

2. Tacticus

3. Win Win Win

Alternate: The Right Path

 $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks

1. Skywire 

2. Five Star General

3. Somelikeithotbrown

Alternate: Counter Offer 

Winning Top Choice: 3/9

Exacta Earnings: $16.60

Trifecta Earnings: $14.80