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King's Plate winner Luster will look to extend her winning streak to four when the starting gate opens in the 2026 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. Trained by Josie Carroll, Luster has five wins in six starts. She has won her last two starts by almost 13 lengths combined. For Saturday, Luster has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the 2026 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes odds. Bet the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes with the TwinSpires promo code SPORTSLINE and get an exclusive $400 bonus, double the regular offer:
Faithful Departed (7-2), Tam Tam (4-1), Braida (8-1) and Kensington Lane (8-1) round out the top five choices in the 11-horse Queen Elizabeth II Stakes field. Post time for the Grade 1 race is 5:16 p.m. ET.
With 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 Queen Elizabeth II 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 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes field and revealed his picks. One surprise: Menez's top pick is not Luster, even though she is the 5-2 favorite.
Instead, Menez's top pick is a longshot who will be a "good value." Menez is including this horse in his 2026 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes bets, and so should you.
So which horse wins the 2026 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? ... Join SportsLine NOW to get the top 2026 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes 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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