Eleven Kentucky Derby hopefuls will enter the gates at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans when the 2026 Lecomte Stakes unfolds on Saturday. It’s one of the premier winter races on the road to 2026 Kentucky Derby qualification with the winner earning 20 points. It also serves as a rematch between Crown the Buckeye and Chip Honcho, who finished in the top three at the 2025 Gun Runner Stakes in December.
Post time for the Lecomte Stakes 2026 is 7 p.m. ET. Crown the Buckeye, who finished third a the Gun Runner, is the 4-1 favorite in the 2026 Lecomte Stakes odds. Chip Honcho, the winner in that race, is second on the Lecomte odds board at 9-2. Thunder Buck is 6-1, while seven of the eight other horses in the field are priced between 8-1 and 12-1. With several Kentucky Derby contenders set to enter the gate, you’ll want to see what SportsLine horse racing expert Gene Menez has to say before making any 2026 Lecomte Stakes picks or horse racing predictions.
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Menez, who called Disco Time’s win in this race last year, is one SportsLine’s top horse racing expert and he has a lengthy history of calling winners. He’s had several huge calls recently, including giving out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby in 2014. 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. Anyone who has followed him on betting apps could have been way up.
For the Lecomte Stakes 2026, Menez has handicapped the 2026 Lecomte Stakes field, made his picks and constructed his best bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2026 Lecomte Stakes predictions
One of Menez’s surprising Lecomte Stakes picks: He is fading the favorite, Crown the Buckeye, who is going off at 4-1. The Mike Maker-trained colt currently sits in 29th in the Derby qualifying standings with the three points he picked up at the Gun Runner Stakes. However, he won his prior two races — neither of which earned Derby points — setting him up as a top 3-year-old contender in 2026.
Menez, however, is putting more stock in his last race than the previous two. He’s particularly concerned about how he faded late in that 1 1/16-mile run, which is the same distance as the Lecomte. With Chip Honcho already holding a victory against Crown the Buckeye and several other intriguing options in the mid-priced range, Menez doesn’t like the value of the favorite in this 11-horse field. See which horses to back here.
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How to make 2026 Lecomte Stakes bets, picks
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.” You can see who they are, and get all of Menez’s 2026 Lecomte Stakes picks, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Lecomte Stakes 2026, and how should you construct your wagers? Check out the latest 2026 Lecomte Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Menez’s picks for the Lecomte Stakes 2026, all from the expert who nailed last year’s winner in this race.
