2026 Bowling Green Stakes picks, odds: Horse racing writer has best bets for Saturday's race

British invader Fort George will try to translate his European form to the United States when he leaves the starting gate in the 2026 Bowling Green Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. Bred in Great Britain, Fort George has three wins in 12 starts, all overseas. He is coming off a ninth-place finish in the Group 1 Dubai Turf in March. For Saturday he has been installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the Bowling Green Stakes odds. Minaret Station (2-1), Ole Crazy Bone (5-2) and Carson's Run (10-1) round out the top four choices in the seven-horse Bowling Green Stakes field. Post time for the race is 5:39 p.m. ET. 

With several talented runners set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you NEED to see what SportsLine horse racing expert Gene Menez has to say before making any 2026 Bowling Green Stakes picks or horse racing predictions considering his track record.

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.

Menez excels on horse racing's biggest days. In 2024 he crushed the late Pick 4 on Breeders' Cup Saturday for a $5,303 windfall. Last year he nailed the winner, trifecta and superfecta in the Florida Derby for a $529.60 score and the winner and trifecta in the Blue Grass Stakes for a $761.96 jackpot. He hit the late Pick 4 on Kentucky Oaks day for $915.48. In the Kentucky Derby, he hammered the exacta and trifecta for a $1,045 payout. And earlier this year he struck big on Fountain of Youth day, hitting the late Pick 5 for $4,648.

Now, Menez has handicapped the 2026 Bowling Green Stakes field and revealed his picks. One surprise: Menez is not using Fort George at all, even though he is the 9-5 favorite. 

Instead, Menez's top pick is a horse who "has moved forward." Menez is including this horse in his 2026 Bowling Green Stakes bets, and so should you!

So which horse wins the 2026 Bowling Green Stakes? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? ... Join SportsLine NOW to get the top 2026 Bowling Green Stakes picks and bets, all from the expert who finished 115th out of 643 entries in last year's Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge!

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