A deep field of 2-year-old maidens will try to win for the first time in their careers when they leave the starting gate in Race 4, a maiden special on Kentucky Derby Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Essential Quality is the 3-1 favorite in the nine-horse field. Post time is 12:35 p.m. ET.

Before making any Race 4 picks, you'll want to hear what SportsLine writer Gene Menez has to say.

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 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.

Now, Menez has handicapped the field for Race 4, made his picks and formulated his bets.

We can tell you that he is high on Big Lake, the 5-1 third choice. In fact, Menez is using Big Lake prominently on his tickets.

However, Menez's top pick is a double-digit long shot who "should enjoy going six furlongs." He's including this horse in his wagers, and so should you. You NEED to see which horse it is before making any picks of your own.

So who wins Race 4 at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Saturday? And how has Menez structured his wagers? ... Join SportsLine now to get Race 4 picks and wagers, all from the insider who once cashed for $6,900 on Kentucky Derby Saturday!