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

Beaten Kentucky Derby favorite Further Ado can reestablish himself as one of the top 3-year-olds in the country when he leaves the starting gate in the 2026 Haskell Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park along the Jersey Shore. Trained by Brad Cox, Further Ado has four wins, one second and one third in eight career starts. Two starts ago he finished 11th as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby, but he rebounded last month with a victory in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes. For Saturday Further Ado has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the Haskell Stakes odds. Preakness Stakes winner Napoleon Solo (5-2), Iron Honor (3-1), The Puma (7-2) and Ocelli (6-1) round out the top five choices in the seven-horse Haskell Stakes field. Post time for the race is 5:45 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 Haskell 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 Haskell Stakes field and revealed his picks. One surprise: Menez is not using Further Ado at all, even though he is the 2-1 favorite. 

Instead, Menez's top pick is a horse who has the "tactical edge." Menez is including this horse in his 2026 Haskell Stakes bets, and so should you.

So which horse wins the 2026 Haskell Stakes? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? ... Join SportsLine NOW to get the top 2026 Haskell 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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