One horse will become a Grade 1 winner when the starting gate opens in the 2024 Franklin-Simpson Stakes on Saturday at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky. A 6.5-furlong race on turf for 3-year-olds, the Franklin-Simpson offers a $2 million purse. The Bill Mott-trained Mansa Musa is the lukewarm 4-1 favorite in the 2024 Franklin-Simpson Stakes odds. The Jose D'Angelo-trained Howard Wolowitz is the 9-2 second choice among the 12 Franklin-Simpson horses. Apollo Ten (6-1), Joe Shiesty (8-1) and Please Advise (8-1) round out the top five choices. Post time for the Franklin-Simpson is 5:18 p.m. ET.

With several accomplished horses set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what SportsLine writer Gene Menez has to say before making any Franklin-Simpson Stakes picks or horse racing predictions. Join SportsLine here to get his full Franklin-Simpson picks.

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.

In 2015, while writing for Sports on Earth, Menez accurately gave out the Kentucky Derby superfecta (American Pharoah, Firing Line, Dortmund and Frosted), which paid $1,268.20 for $2. Then in 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4, which paid almost $6,900 on a $1 bet. Join SportsLine right here to see his 2024 Franklin-Simpson picks.

In a span of seven races last year for SportsLine, he cashed the winner of the Lecomte Stakes, the exacta in the Southwest Stakes, the winner of the Holy Bull Stakes, the winner of the Sam F. Davis Stakes, and the trifecta in the Jenny Wiley Stakes. In May, Menez gave out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby. And in June he nailed Trikari to win the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes.

Now, Menez has looked at the 2024 Franklin-Simpson, made his picks and formulated his bets. Join SportsLine here to see them.

We can tell you that Menez is high on Howard Wolowitz, the 9-2 second choice. "In his last start, his first on turf, he seemed full of run but was blocked in the stretch and finished fourth," Menez told SportsLine. "For Saturday he gets a rider upgrade to top jock Irad Ortiz Jr." Menez is using Howard Wolowitz prominently in his wagers.

Moreover, Menez's top pick is a longshot who is "dangerous at a fair price." He also is high on a double-digit longshot who is a "juicy price." He is including these horses in his wagers, and so should you. You absolutely need to see which horses they are before making any 2024 Franklin-Simpson picks of your own.

So what horse wins the 2024 Franklin-Simpson? What double-digit longshot is a must-back? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? ... Join SportsLine now to get the top 2024 Franklin-Simpson picks and bets, all from the expert who gave out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby!