For the fourth 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 World Championships. 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 players for the second half of the 2020 season are Ashley Mailloux (Paddock Analyst, Fort Erie), Mike McCormick (PokerFuse), Nicolle Neulist (Arlington Park), Roberto Rodriguez (ElPotroRoberto.com), Mike Somich (RacingDudes.com), Kenny Schmitt (FBWinners.com), ABR’s Dan Tordjman, TV analyst Darwin Vizcaya, and Horse Racing Nation Senior Writer Brian Zipse.

Our featured race this week is the the 145^th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, where the rescheduled 2020 Triple Crown season comes to an end Saturday, Oct. 3. There will be no Triple Crown winner this year, but Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve winner Authentic will be on hand to vie for a second classic win, matching up against a tough field led by Art Collector and Swiss Skydiver.

NBC will broadcast the Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3 during an hour-and-a-half show from 4:30 to 6 p.m. ET. The show will provide analysis of the race and features on Preakness contenders, plus on-site coverage from Pimlico where the race will be held without spectators due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.