Second best riot (6)
I believe the answer is:
scream
'riot' is the definition.
(I know that riot can be written as scream)
'second best' is the wordplay.
'second' becomes 's' (common abbreviation).
'best' becomes 'cream' (both can mean the elite).
's'+'cream'='SCREAM'
(Other definitions for scream that I've seen before include "painting" , "Yell in fear" , "Sound terrified" , "funny man" , "Make high shrill sound as from fear" .)