How to bet the 2026 Cornhusker Handicap

A well-matched field of nine will run 1 1/8 miles over the Prairie Meadows dirt in Saturday’s $300,000 Cornhusker H. (G3). Recent Pimlico Special S. (G3) winner #8 Navajo Warrior (5-2) will tote 121 pounds in the field, but I will give the peaking five-year-old top billing in the feature, nonetheless. 

Cornhusker Wagers

• $10 exacta 8 with 3,5,6 ($30)
• 50-cent superfecta 8 with 3,5,6 with 3,5,6 with all ($18)

The five-year-old gelding moved to this barn in August and has compiled five wins in seven starts for this outfit, capped by a convincing score at Laurel Park during Preakness weekend. By Candy Ride, the Kentucky-bred has won eight of his last 10 races, leading up to his local debut, and should have a clear voyage after drawing near the outside of the group on this occasion. The versatile sort will handle the nine panels with ease and gets Micah Husbands to come in and ride. 

#5 San Siro (5-1) has been in solid form this campaign, facing very good runners, and might be the main danger to the leading selection. The Brendan Walsh pupil was a solid third last time in the Pimlico Special and comes in fresh for a conditioner who is very good off the layoff of this kind. The Classic Empire gelding possesses a consistent turn of foot in the lane and might be moving best of all from the back with Florent Geroux in the silks. 

#3 Heroic Move (4-1) missed by a neck in the tilt last season and comes in off a solid score in the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) at Lone Star on May 26. The Robertino Diodoro charge showed a new dimension while rallying from far back en route to victory in his last showing, and that versatility will allow him to handle the distance on the stretch-out from eight panels most recently. The Quality Road six-year-old has trained forwardly in advance of the event and will have Ramon Vazquez in the irons. 

#6 Gigante (6-1) rallied well late to be third in the Sexton Mile two back and sports a strong 6-4-0-1 mark on the dirt in his lifetime for Asmussen. The bay son of Not This Time exits a solid run on the lawn leading up to his local bow and will be a danger inside the final furlong with Mike Smith in for the voyage.