2026 Lecomte Stakes picks, odds: Horse racing writer has best bets for Saturday's Kentucky Derby prep race

The road to the Kentucky Derby heats up on Saturday with the first of the 42-point races of the year: the 2026 Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. The Lecomte will award Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 20-10-6-4-2 basis (20 for first, 10 for second and so on). The Michael Maker-trained Crown the Buckeye has been installed as the lukewarm 4-1 morning-line favorite in the 2026 Lecomte Stakes odds. Chip Honcho (9-2), Thunder Buck (6-1), Carson Street (8-1), Golden Tempo (8-1), Mesquite (8-1), White Tiger (8-1) and Stop the Car (8-1) round out the top eight choices among the 11 Lecomte Stakes horses. Post time for the Lecomte Stakes is 7 p.m. ET.

With several talented horses 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 Lecomte Stakes picks or horse racing predictions, considering he correctly picked Disco Time to win last year's Lecomte.

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 (American Pharoah, Firing Line, Dortmund and Frosted), which paid $1,268.20 for $2. Then in 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4, which paid almost $6,900 on a $1 bet. In 2024, Menez gave out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby. Unlock his 2026 Lecomte Stakes picks now and take 50% off with promo code JOCKEY.

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. 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 in November, Menez finished 115th out of 643 entries in the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge, the biggest live-money handicapping tournament in the country.

Now, Menez has handicapped the 2026 Lecomte Stakes field and revealed his picks. We can tell you that Menez's top pick is not Crown the Buckeye, even though he is the 4-1 favorite. "I'm going to completely toss the morning-line favorite, Crown the Buckeye, who won a very uninspiring running of the Gun Runner Stakes and was fading at the end of that race," Menez told SportsLine. Menez is not using Crown The Buckeye in any of his Lecomte Stakes wagers. Join SportsLine NOW to unlock his full 2026 Lecomte Stakes picks for 50% off with promo code JOCKEY.

Instead, Menez's top pick is a longshot who "should be the one to catch." Menez also is high on another longshot who should "improve with distance and experience." Menez is including these horses in his 2026 Lecomte Stakes bets, and so should you. You ABSOLUTELY NEED to see which horses they are before making any 2026 Lecomte Stakes picks of your own.

So which horse wins the 2026 Lecomte Stakes? What other longshot is a must-back? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? ... Join SportsLine NOW to get the top 2026 Lecomte Stakes picks and bets, all from the expert who nailed last year's Lecomte Stakes winner. Take 50% off with promo code JOCKEY.