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 Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 1 and 2. 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 TVG’s Megan Devine, OptixEQ’s Emily Gullikson, TVG’s Candice Hare, Mike McCormick (PokerFuse), Nicolle Neulist (Arlington Park) , Kenny Schmitt (FBWinners.com), ABR’s Dan Tordjman, and Derby Day Racing’s Brian Zipse.
Our featured races this week are the $200,000 Pocahontas Stakes, an automatic qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies; the $200,000 Iroquois Stakes, a “Win and You’re In” race for the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile; and the $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier Saturday for the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile.
TVG On-Air Host and Analyst
$200,000 Pocahontas Stakes
1. Portrait
2. Morning Gold
Alternate: Lotta Ott
$200,000 Iroquois Stakes
1. Zyramid
2. Scabbard
Alternate: Rowdy Yates
$1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile
1. Raging Bull
2. Got Stormy
3. Awesometank
Alternate: Synchrony
Top Selections: 7/15
Exacta Earnings: $72.80
Trifecta Earnings: $99.68
OptixEQ, Tournament Handicapper
$200,000 Pocahontas Stakes
2. Morning Gold
3. Portrait
Alternate: His Glory
$200,000 Iroquois Stakes
2. Flute Maker
3. Juggernaut
Alternate: January Won
$1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile
1. Synchrony
2. Raging Bull
3. El Tormenta
Alternate: Got Stormy
Top Selections: 5/15
Exacta Earnings: $100.20
Trifecta Earnings: $79.28
TVG On-Air Host and Analyst
$200,000 Pocahontas Stakes
1. Portrait
3. Shadilee
Alternate: Morning Gold
$200,000 Iroquois Stakes
1. Scabbard
2. Juggernaut
Alternate: Rowdy Yates
$1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile
1. Lucullan
2. Got Stormy
3. Raging Bull
Alternate: American Guru
Top Selections: 8/15
Exacta Earnings: $110.40
Trifecta Earnings: $275.20
Horse Racing Writer, Handicapper
$200,000 Pocahontas Stakes
1. Morning Gold
3. Lotta Ott
Alternate: Shadilee
$200,000 Iroquois Stakes
1. Scabbard
2. Flute Maker
Alternate: Rowdy Yates
$1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile
2. Got Stormy
3. Lucullan
Alternate: Synchrony
Top Selections: 6/15
Exacta Earnings: $25.60
Trifecta Earnings: $69.60
Arlington Park Chart Caller and Freelance Writer
$200,000 Pocahontas Stakes
1. Portrait
3. Shadilee
Alternate: Morning Gold
$200,000 Iroquois Stakes
1. Flute Maker
2. Scabbard
Alternate: January Won
$1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile
1. Awesometank
2. Got Stormy
3. Silent Poet
Alternate: Raging Bull
Top Selections: 6/15
Exacta Earnings: $67.80
Trifecta Earnings: $111.60
FBWinners.com, Sports Handicapper
$200,000 Pocahontas Stakes
1. Lotta Ott
2. Morning Gold
3. Portrait
Alternate: His Glory
$200,000 Iroquois Stakes
1. Scabbard
3. Flute Maker
Alternate: Rowdy Yates
$1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile
2. Got Stormy
3. Synchrony
Alternate: Lucullan
Top Selections: 6/15
Exacta Earnings: $73.00
Trifecta Earnings: $16.80
Correspondent and Handicapper for America’s Best Racing
$200,000 Pocahontas Stakes
1. Morning Gold
2. Lotta Ott
3. Portrait
Alternate: Lazy Daisy
$200,000 Iroquois Stakes
1. Scabbard
2. Lebda
3. Flute Maker
Alternate: Dennis’ Moment
$1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile
1. Got Stormy
2. Raging Bull
3. Synchrony
Alternate: Made You Look
Top Selections: 5/15
Exacta Earnings: $74.20
Trifecta Earnings: $0
Derby Day Racing Managing Partner
$200,000 Pocahontas Stakes
1. Portrait
2. Lazy Daisy
3. Morning Gold
Alternate: British Idiom
$200,000 Iroquois Stakes
2. Letmeno
3. Scabbard
Alternate: Lebda
$1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile
1. Got Stormy
3. Raging Bull
Alternate: Synchrony
Top Selections: 8/15
Exacta Earnings: $63.80
Trifecta Earnings: $79.28