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),\u00a0Noel Michaels<\/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 $400,000\u00a0ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby<\/a>\u00a0Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs<\/a> and the $200,000\u00a0San Felipe Stakes Presented by DK Horse<\/a>\u00a0Saturday at Santa Anita Park<\/a>. Both races are\u00a0Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve<\/a>\u00a0prep races worth 105 qualifying points toward the May 2 run for the roses at Churchill Downs<\/a>, distributed to the top five finishers on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale.<\/p>\n The Tampa Bay Derby will be showcased on NYRA\u2019s \u201cAmerica\u2019s Day at the Races<\/a>\u201d telecast as well as\u00a0FanDuel TV<\/a>, while the San Felipe and all other races from Santa Anita Park \u2013 including Saturday\u2019s Santa Anita Handicap Presented by Yaamava\u2019 Resort & Casino at San Manuel<\/a> \u2013 will be broadcast on FanDuel TV<\/a>.<\/p>\n