Risen Star Stakes winner Sierra Leone can validate himself as one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby when he leaves the starting gate in the 2024 Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. Trained by Chad Brown, Sierra Leone enters the weekend as the second choice in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool, behind only Florida Derby winner Fierceness. Sierra Leone is the 2-1 favorite in the 2024 Blue Grass Stakes odds. Remsen Stakes winner Dornoch is the 3-1 second choice in the 11-horse 2024 Blue Grass Stakes field, while Gotham Stakes runner-up Just a Touch is 7-2. The 2024 Blue Grass Stakes post time is 5:52 p.m. ET. Tapit Trice won the Blue Grass last year as the 5-2 favorite.

With several lightly raced 3-year-olds set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what racing insider and Beyer Speed Figure maker Bob Weir has to say before making any Blue Grass Stakes picks.

A member of the Beyer Speed Figure-making team since 2017, Weir is a two-time qualifier for the prestigious National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas. He has produced multiple five-figure days at the track over the years, including a $60,000 Pick 6 at Del Mar in 2014 and an $18,000 Pick 5 at Tampa Bay Downs earlier this week.

In April of last year, he hit a Pick 4 at Gulfstream Park for $641, the exacta in the Florida Derby, a Pick 5 at Keeneland and the exacta in the Lexington Stakes. He smashed the trifecta in the Belmont Stakes for $532.96, and later in June he crushed a Pick 4 at Belmont for $555. Those were just some of his scores from 2023.

Now, Weir has handicapped the 2024 Blue Grass Stakes field, made his picks and constructed his bets.

One surprise: Weir's top pick is not Sierra Leone, even though he is the 2-1 favorite! "Late runners with average figures are hard to trust," Weir told SportsLine. Weir prefers another horse over Sierra Leone.

Instead, Weir's top pick is a longshot who "could be poised for his breakout performance." He also is high on a double-digit longshot who "could be sent early." Weir is including these horses in his 2024 Blue Grass Stakes bets, and so should you. You ABSOLUTELY need to see his picks before locking in any of your own.

Who wins the Blue Grass Stakes? What double-digit longshot is a must-back? And how has Weir constructed his wagers? ... Join SportsLine right now to get the top 2024 Blue Grass Stakes picks, all from a top racing insider and member of the Beyer Speed Figure-making team who has had multiple five-figure days at the track and just cashed an $18,000 payday!