Trainer Charles Appleby will try to bounce back from a winless weekend when he sends out the top two favorites in the 2024 Man o' War Stakes on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack. Appleby, who is based in Europe, has enjoyed success shipping his horses to compete in the highest graded turf races the United States in recent years, posting a robust 37.5% winning percentage since 2021. However, last weekend he went a combined 0-for-4 in stakes races at Churchill Downs and Aqueduct. On Saturday, Appleby's Nations Pride is the 8-5 favorite in the 2024 Man o' War Stakes odds, while his Silver Knott is the 3-1 second choice among the 2024 Man o' War Stakes horses. Kertez (5-1), Ohana Honor (6-1) and Tawny Port (6-1) round out the top five choices in the nine-horse 2024 Man o' War Stakes field.
Post time is set for 3:39 p.m. ET. With several accomplished horses entering 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 2024 Man o' War 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 in early April.
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. And just last weekend, Weir hit the exacta in the Churchill Downs Stakes for $852.
For Saturday, he has handicapped the 2024 Man o' War Stakes lineup, made his picks and constructed his bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2024 Man o' War Stakes predictions
One surprise: Weir's top pick is not Nations Pride, even though he is the top favorite at 8-5. A 5-year-old Irish-bred, Nations Pride has run five times in North America, winning three times. Last October, he won the Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine.
However, Nations Pride has the disadvantage of not having a race since Nov. 17. "This looks like the first spot of the year and he may need a race," Weir told SportsLine. Weir prefers two horses more than Nations Pride. You can see all of Weir's 2024 Man o' War Stakes bets here.
How to make 2024 Man o' War Stakes picks
Moreover, Weir's top pick is a horse who "could be poised for a step forward." He also is high on a double-digit longshot with plenty of upside. Weir is including these horses in his 2024 Man o' War Stakes bets, and so should you. He's sharing which horses to back only at SportsLine.
So who wins the Man o' War Stakes 2024, and what double-digit longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2024 Man o' War Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Weir's picks for the Man o' War Stakes, all from the horse racing insider who has had multiple five-figure days at the track and just hit an $18,000 payday, and find out.
2024 Man o' War Stakes odds, contenders
| Prg # | Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohana Honor | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 2 | Kertez | 5-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 3 | So High | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 4 | Harry Hood | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 5 | Tawny Port | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 6 | Greek Order | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 7 | Rocket and Roll | 50-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 8 | Silver Knott | 3-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 9 | Nations Pride | 8-5 | SEE PICKS |
