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A berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies will be on the line when the starting gate opens in the 2026 Spinaway Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. The Spinaway historically has been one of the top races in the country for 2-year-old fillies, and this year's race has attracted an evenly matched field. The Steve Asmussen-trained Summer Starlet has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the 2026 Spinaway Stakes odds. She is coming off a 6½-length maiden romp in her career debut. Bet the Spinaway Stakes with the TwinSpires promo code SPORTSLINE and get an exclusive $400 bonus, double the regular offer:
Life Changing (5-2), Angel of Kirk (9-2), Harper's Corner (5-1), Stress Relief (8-1) and Girvy Girl (8-1) round out the top six choices on the odds board in the eight-horse Spinaway Stakes field. Post time for the Grade 1 race is 5:45 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 Spinaway 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 Spinaway Stakes field and revealed his picks. One surprise: Menez is completely fading Life Changing, even though she is the 5-2 second choice. "I will toss Life Changing because of the expected pace scenario," he told SportsLine.
Instead, Menez's top pick is a horse who is coming off a "dazzling" race. Menez also is high on a longshot whose pedigree puts her "well within reach" of the seven-furlong distance. Menez is including these horses in his 2026 Spinaway Stakes bets, and so should you.
So which horse wins the 2026 Spinaway Stakes? What longshot is a must-back? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? ... Join SportsLine NOW to get the top 2026 Spinaway 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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