2026 Haskell Stakes predictions, horses, odds, post positions: Surprising picks from elite racing expert

Further Ado will look to get back in the conversation as one of the top 3-year-olds in the country when he runs in the 2026 Haskell Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park. Two starts ago he finished 11th as the pre-race favorite in the Kentucky Derby, but he rebounded last month with a victory in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes. For Saturday, Further Ado is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the 2026 Haskell Stakes odds. Preakness Stakes winner Napoleon Solo (5-2), Iron Honor (3-1), The Puma (7-2) and Ocelli (6-1) round out the top five on the odds board in the Haskell Stakes 2026 field. Post time for the race is 5:45 p.m. ET. Before making any 2026 Haskell Stakes picks, you’ll want to see the 2026 Haskell Stakes predictions from SportsLine’s Gene Menez.

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, with the 2026 Haskell Stakes post positions set and odds on the board, Menez is sharing his picks and predictions over at SportsLine. You can head here to see them.

Top 2026 Haskell Stakes predictions

One surprise: Menez is not high on Further Ado, the 2-1 favorite who will break from post No. 2. 

“Further Ado’s Blue Grass Stakes victory remains one of the best performances-if not the best performance-by a 3-year-old this year,” Menez told SportsLine. “But he was not able to replicate that in the Kentucky Derby. He may be a horse who needs conditions to be perfect to run his race. Also, he still has not been able to string together consecutive fast efforts. He could very well win on Saturday, but as the 2-1 favorite he will do so without my money.” See which 2026 Haskell Stakes horses to back at SportsLine.

How to make 2026 Haskell Stakes picks

Instead, Menez’s top pick is a horse who has “a tactical edge.” He’s sharing which 2026 Haskell Stakes horses to back over at SportsLine.

So who wins the 2026 Haskell Stakes? Visit SportsLine to see Menez’s picks for the Haskell Stakes, all from the expert who has nailed some of horse racing’s biggest events. 

2026 Haskell Stakes odds, post positions