Lecomte Stakes 2026 predictions, odds, picks, time: Best bets from expert who called last year's winner

The 2026 Lecomte Stakes is set for Saturday at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, La., as 11 horses will look to take a step towards 2026 Kentucky Derby qualification. The winner gets 20 points, putting him in prime position for the Run for the Roses, while there are 42 total qualifying points up for grabs. That is more than any other U.S.-based race thus far on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Post time is 7 p.m. ET. Crown the Buckeye is the 4-1 favorite in the 2026 Lecomte Stakes odds, with Chip Honcho at 9-2 and Thunder Buck at 6-1.

Five 2026 Lecomte Stakes horses are 8-1 in what's expected to be an evenly-matched field. 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. His stock was soaring heading into the winter after wins at the Joshua Radosevich Memorial Stakes and Cleveland Kindergarten Stakes in the fall of 2025.

He took a step back at the 2025 Gun Runner, however, in December, finishing third behind Chip Honcho, who is in the 2026 Lecomte Stakes field, and Liberty National. Even more concerning, Crown the Buckeye was fading late in that race, which was also run at 1 1/16 miles like the Lecomte. 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. 

2026 Lecomte Stakes horses, odds