The road to the Kentucky Derby will continue when the starting gate opens in the 2024 Risen Star Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. The Risen Star will be the first Kentucky Derby prep race this year that will award 50 points to the winner, virtually guaranteeing him a spot in the starting gate in the first leg of the Triple Crown in Louisville on Saturday, May 4. Lecomte Stakes winner Track Phantom is the 7-2 favorite in the 2024 Risen Star Stakes odds. Remsen Stakes runner-up Sierra Leone is the 4-1 second choice in the 2024 Risen Star field, followed by Catching Freedom (5-1), Honor Marie (6-1), and Hall of Fame (6-1). Post time for the 1⅛-mile Risen Star 2024 is 7:17 p.m. ET.

With several accomplished horses set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what Saratoga Springs-based racing insider and Beyer Speed Figure maker Bob Weir has to say before making any Risen Star 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.

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 the Pick 4 at Belmont for $555. Those were just some of his scores from 2023.

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

One surprise: Weir is fading Sierra Leone, even though he is one of the top favorites at 4-1. Another curveball: Weir is backing Real Men Violin, even though he's an 8-1 longshot. He's a target for anyone looking for a HUGE payday. "This one can hit the board," Weir told SportsLine. 

Moreover, Weir is high on an underdog who "has every right to take the next step." Weir also is high on a double-digit longshot who has shown he likes a "fast dirt surface." Weir is including these horses in his 2024 Risen Star Stakes bets, and so should you. You ABSOLUTELY NEED to see his picks before locking in any of your own.

Who wins the Risen Star 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 Risen Star Stakes picks, all from a top racing insider and member of the Beyer figure-making team who has had multiple five-figure days at the track!