Gene Menez, who hit the a Kentucky Derby trifecta last year, has revealed his 2026 Louisiana Derby best bets
By Ross Kelly Mar 20, 2026 at 12:32 pm ET • 3 min read 
Imagn Images The Road to the 2026 Kentucky Derby continues this weekend with a pair of prep races, including the Louisiana Derby 2026. The 1 3/16 miles race will take place from New Orleans Fair Grounds on Saturday with a 6:42 p.m. ET post time. Last year saw trainer Steve Asmussen notch a record-tying fifth win at this event, and he's looking to have the most outright victories at the 2026 Louisiana Derby. His horse, Chip Honcho, is coming off a runner-up at the Risen Star Stakes but is the 3-1 favorite to target in horse racing bets.
The latest 2026 Louisiana Derby odds have Golden Tempo (7-2) just behind Chip Honcho, while a quartet of horses are listed at 6-1. That includes Bob Baffert's colt, Blacksmith, who just posted his maiden win in his fifth career start. The biggest longshot in the nine-horse field is Spirit of Royal, who is at 20-1 after winning just one of his first seven starts. Before making any 2026 Louisiana Derby picks, be sure to see the horse racing predictions from SportsLine's Gene Menez.
New users can bet on the Louisiana Derby using the latest TwinSpires offer code CBSSPORTS to receive up to $400 in bonus bets to wager with:
Menez 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. He also 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. And just three weeks ago, on Fountain of Youth day, he struck big hitting the late Pick 5 for $4,648. Anyone following his horse racing betting advice could have been way up.
For the Louisiana Derby 2026, Menez has handicapped the field, made his picks and constructed his best bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2026 Louisiana Derby predictions
One of Menez's surprising Louisiana Derby picks: He is not high on Chip Honcho, even though he is the 3-1 morning-line favorite. Chip Honcho won two of his first three career races, but had a big setback at the Lecomte Stakes, finishing fourth. He had a strong second-place run at the Risen Star Stakes last time out, but Menez is concerned about the additional length that comes in this race.
"I just don't see Chip Honcho getting better with the additional half-furlong of the Louisiana Derby," Menez told SportsLine. Menez prefers another horse over Chip Honcho in his 2026 Louisiana Derby bets. See which horses to back here, and you can make Louisiana Derby bets at TwinSpires here:
How to make 2026 Louisiana Derby picks, best bets
Instead, Menez's top pick is a horse who "could be in store for a big effort." He also is high on another horse who "has enough speed." You can see who they are, and get all of Menez's 2026 Louisiana Derby picks, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Louisiana Derby 2026, and how should you construct your wagers? Check out the latest 2026 Louisiana Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Menez's picks, all from the expert who nailed a trifecta at the 2025 Kentucky Derby.
