For the ninth 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 2025 Triple Crown and then continuing through the 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The handicappers face off in what we like to call the “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 players for the 2025 Big Race Showdown season are Edison Hatter (In The Money Media Podcast Host & Track Announcer), Thomas Kearney (Track Announcer, Shenandoah Downs), Ashley Mailloux (freelance racing analyst), Jessica Paquette (Racecaller for Parx Racing, Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation), John Piassek (Assistant Racing Secretary, Yonkers Raceway),  Roberto Rodriguez (El Potro Roberto, DRF en Espanol), Mike Somich (VSiN Host; The Magic Mike Show – The Racing Dudes), Darwin Vizcaya (Handicapper and Host), Rowan Ward (Chartcaller at Hawthorne Race Track and a Freelance writer), and Alexa Zepp (Handicapper, DRF). 

This week’s Big-Race Showdown races are: the $400,000 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland and the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap on Saturday at Oaklawn Park. The Lexington Stakes is the final qualifying points race for the 2025 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.

The Lexington Stakes along with all other races at the picturesque Lexington track will be showcased on FanDuel TV. Racing from Oaklawn Park, including the Apple Blossom Saturday evening, and from Aqueduct will be covered on the “America’s Day at the Races” program during a four-day span starting Thursday, April 10. The NYRA-produced show airs on FOX Sports networks and the Apple Blossom will be televised on FS2.