2023 Franklin-Simpson Stakes morning-line odds, picks: Horse racing writer has best bets for Saturday's race

Some of the country's best 3-year-old turf horses square off on Saturday when the starting gate opens in the 2023 Franklin-Simpson Stakes at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky. The Vicki Oliver-trained Mo Stash is the 4-1 morning-line favorite in the 2023 Franklin-Simpson odds. Private Creed, who is trained by Steve Asmussen, is the 9-2 second choice in the 12-horse 2023 Franklin-Simpson field. Post time is 4:40 p.m. ET.

With an accomplished and evenly matched field set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what SportsLine writer Gene Menez has to say before making any Franklin-Simpson picks or horse racing predictions. Join SportsLine here to see his picks.

A former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, Menez covered an array of sports, including horse racing, for the magazine and its website for almost 14 years. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as SI's handicapper for the Triple Crown races and correctly predicted Super Saver to win the Kentucky Derby in 2010. In 2015, while writing for Sports on Earth, Menez accurately gave out the Kentucky Derby superfecta. In 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4. Join SportsLine here to win your Franklin-Simpson bets.

In a span of seven races earlier this year, he cashed the winner of the Lecomte Stakes, the exacta in the Southwest Stakes, the winner of the Holy Bull Stakes, the winner of the Sam F. Davis Stakes, and the trifecta in the Jenny Wiley Stakes. In May, he nailed National Treasure's win in the Preakness. Join SportsLine now to get his Franklin-Simpson bets.

For the 2023 Franklin-Simpson, we can tell you that Menez is fading Mo Stash, even though he is the 4-1 favorite.

Instead, Menez's top pick is a horse whom Menez has "been waiting for months" to bet. Menez is including this horse in his wagers, and so should you. You ABSOLUTELY need to see his picks before locking in any of your own!

Who wins the 2023 Franklin-Simpson Stakes? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? ... Join SportsLine now to get the top 2023 Franklin-Simpson picks and bets, all from the expert who nailed six races in a seven-race stretch and called the Preakness winner!