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 $750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by NYRA Bets at Aqueduct, the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Race Course, and the $1 million Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park. NBC Sports will showcase all three races a two-hour broadcast on NBCSN from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.

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Dan Cronin

Horse Racing Handicapper, NHC Qualifier

$750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

1. Haikal

2. Tacitus

3. Tax

Alternate: Hoffa’s Union

$1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

1. Signalman

2. Vekoma

3. Somelikeithotbrown

Alternate: Admire

$1 million Santa Anita Derby

1. Game Winner

2. Roadster

3. Instagrand

Alternate: Nolo Contesto

Winning Top Choice: 5/18

Exacta Earnings: $181.60

Trifecta Earnings: $208.48

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Megan Devine

TVG On-Air Host and Analyst

$750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

1. Tacitus

2. Outshine

3. Hoffa’s Union

Alternate: Tax

$1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

1. Signalman

2. Dream Maker

3. Win Win Win

Alternate: Admire

$1 million Santa Anita Derby

1. Roadster

2. Nolo Contesto

3. Game Winner

Alternate: Instagrand

Winning Top Choice: 2/18

Exacta Earnings: $203.40

Trifecta Earnings: $517.28

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Emily Gullikson

OptixEQ, Tournament Handicapper

$750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

1. Overdeliver

2. Tacitus

3. Not That Brady

Alternate: Tax

$1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

1. Dream Maker

2. So Alive

3. Sir Winston

Alternate: Signalman

$1 million Santa Anita Derby

1. Nolo Contesto

2. Instagrand

3. Game Winner

Alternate: Roadster

Winning Top Choice: 1/18

Exacta Earnings: $85.00

Trifecta Earnings: $0

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Candice Hare

TVG On-Air Host and Analyst

$750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

1. Final Jeopardy

2. Tacitus

3. Hoffa’s Union

Alternate: Overdeliver

$1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

1. Somelikeithotbrown

2. Signalman

3. Admire

Alternate: Win Win Win

$1 million Santa Anita Derby

1. Instagrand

2. Nolo Contesto

3. Game Winner

Alternate: Roadster

Winning Top Choice: 5/18

Exacta Earnings: $177.80

Trifecta Earnings: $0

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Mike McCormick

Horse Racing Writer, Handicapper

$750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

1. Final Jeopardy

2. Haikal

3. Outshine

Alternate: Tax

$1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

1. Win Win Win

2. Somelikeithotbrown

3. Vekoma

Alternate: So Alive

$1 million Santa Anita Derby

1. Roadster

2. Game Winner

3. Instagrand

Alternate: Nolo Contesto

Winning Top Choice: 3/18

Exacta Earnings: $71.20

Trifecta Earnings: $14.80

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Nicolle Neulist

Arlington Park Chart Caller and Freelance Writer

$750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

1. Tax

2. Tacitus

3. Grumps Little Tots

Alternate: Outshine

$1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

1. So Alive

2. Signalman

3. Win Win Win

Alternate: Somelikeithotbrown

$1 million Santa Anita Derby

1. Game Winner

2. Instagrand

3. Roadster

Alternate: Nolo Contesto

Winning Top Choice: 7/18

Exacta Earnings: $185.20

Trifecta Earnings: $321.68

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Dan Tordjman

Correspondent and Handicapper for America's Best Racing

$750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

1. Final Jeopardy

2. Hoffa’s Union

3. Tax

Alternate: Tacitus

$1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

1. Sir Winston

2. Signalman

3. Win Win Win

Alternate: Dream Maker

$1 million Santa Anita Derby

1. Instagrand

2. Game Winner

3. Nolo Contesto

Alternate: Roadster

Winning Top Choice: 2/18

Exacta Earnings: $65.20

Trifecta Earnings: $0

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Brian Zipse

Derby Day Racing Managing Partner 

$750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

1. Hoffa’s Union

2. Tacitus

3. Outshine

Alternate: Tax

$1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

1. Dream Maker

2. Win Win Win

3. Vekoma

Alternate: Somelikeithotbrown

$1 million Santa Anita Derby

1. Game Winner

2. Instagrand

3. Nolo Contesto

Alternate: Roadster

Winning Top Choice: 2/18

Exacta Earnings: $62.40

Trifecta Earnings: $113.20