2026 Whitney Stakes picks, odds: Horse racing writer has best bets for Saturday's race
SportsLine horse racing writer Gene Menez has identified his selections for what may end up being the race of the year
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Some of horse racing's biggest stars will square off in what may be the race of the year when the starting gate opens in the 2026 Whitney Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. The Whitney, which annually attracts the country's top older horses, has brought together Dubai World Cup hero Magnitude, 2025 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Sovereignty, Pennsylvania Derby winner Baeza, star filly Nitrogen and former Breeders' Cup Classic champ White Abarrio. Magnitude has been installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the Whitney Stakes odds, with Sovereignty (3-1), Baeza (7-2), Nitrogen (4-1) and White Abarrio (8-1) not far behind in the eight-horse Whitney Stakes field. Post time for the race is 6:33 p.m. ET.
With several talented of the country's top 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 Whitney 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 Whitney Stakes field and revealed his picks. One surprise: Menez's top pick is not Magnitude, even though he is the 9-5 favorite.
Instead, Menez's top pick is a horse who is "moving in the right direction." Menez is including this horse in his 2026 Whitney Stakes bets, and so should you.
So which horse wins the 2026 Whitney Stakes? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? ... Join SportsLine NOW to get the top 2026 Whitney 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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