For the 10th year in a row, America\u2019s 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 2026\u00a0Triple Crown and then continuing through the 2026\u00a0Breeders\u2019 Cup World Championships at Keeneland. The handicappers face off in what we like to call the \u201cBig-Race Showdown.\u201d<\/p>\n
The players\u2019 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\u00a0and $2 trifecta box bets of each player\u2019s top three selections. We will also be keeping track of which player correctly selects the most winners.<\/p>\n
Your players for the 2026 Big Race Showdown season are\u00a0Thomas Kearney<\/a> (Track Announcer, Shenandoah Downs), Ashley Mailloux<\/a> (Freelance Racing Analyst),\u00a0NoelMichaels<\/a> (Racing Analyst, Tournament Handicapper),\u00a0Jessica Paquette<\/a> (Racecaller for Parx Racing, Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation), John Piassek<\/a> (Assistant Racing Secretary, Yonkers Raceway),\u00a0 Roberto Rodriguez<\/a>\u00a0(El Potro Roberto, DRF en Espanol),\u00a0Darwin Vizcaya<\/a> (Handicapper and Host), and\u00a0Rowan Ward<\/a>\u00a0(Chartcaller at Hawthorne Race Track and a Freelance writer).<\/p>\n This week\u2019s\u00a0Big-Race Showdown races are:\u00a0the $1 million NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Saturday at\u00a0Monmouth Park<\/a>, a Breeders\u2019 Cup \u201cWin and You\u2019re In\u201d Challenge Series race for the $7 million Longines Classic<\/a> Oct. 31 at Keeneland<\/a>; and the\u00a0$300,000 San Diego Handicap<\/a>\u00a0Saturday\u00a0at Del Mar<\/a>, a steppingstone to both the\u00a0$1 million Pacific Classic Stakes<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Breeders\u2019 Cup Classic.<\/p>\n