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After a three-plus year hiatus because of a $555 million renovation, racing returns to a state-of-the-art Belmont Park on Friday with a nine-race card, highlighted by Breeders' Cup Classic champion Forever Young in the 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup. The new Belmont features a modernized five-story grandstand, expanded green spaces and four racing surfaces. The Jockey Club Gold Cup will be the final prep race for Forever Young before he attempts to defend his Breeders' Cup Classic win from last year. He has been installed as a formidable 3-5 morning-line favorite in the 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup odds. Bet the Jockey Club Gold Cup with the TwinSpires promo code SPORTSLINE and get an exclusive $400 bonus, double the regular offer:

Phileas Fogg (4-1), Baeza (9-2), Stars and Stripes (15-1) and Render Judgment (20-1) round out the five-horse Jockey Club Gold Cup field. (Banishing and Chunk of Gold have scratched from the race.) Post time for the $1 million Grade 1 race is 4:14 p.m. ET.

With talented horses set to enter the starting gate on Friday, you NEED to see what SportsLine horse racing expert Gene Menez has to say before making any 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup 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 Jockey Club Gold Cup field and revealed his picks. One surprise: Menez is completely fading Forever Young, even though he is the 3-5 favorite. "The fact remains that, outside of Japan, he is just 1-for-5 at 1¼ miles," Menez told SportsLine.

Instead, Menez's top pick is a horse who has an "outside chance." Menez is including this horse in his 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup bets, and so should you.

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

Don't miss out: All new SportsLine memberships include Paramount+ Premium -- a $13.99/month value -- for no extra cost! Join now and get it all.

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