How to bet the 2026 Palisades Stakes

An overflow field of 14 has been entered to run in Sunday’s $300,000 Palisades S. at Keeneland. The 5 1/2-furlong dash on the lawn attracted some rapid runners in a race that will surely have a wicked and contested tempo, and I will take a shot with a few runners that I expect to rally from off the pace. 

Palisades Wagers

• $10 win and place #8 Reb Five ($20)
• $3 exacta 8,11 with 6,8,9,11 ($18)

#8 Reb Five (10-1) is my top pick in the race, while facing his toughest assignment to date for Mark Casse. The colt was unplaced in his lone run on the grass to date, but the son of Vekoma has been first or second in his last trio of sprint runs in advance of this one and is cut out to like the lawn. Three-year-old chestnut has produced a nice closing punch from off the pace on multiple occasions in the past, and he figures to receive a nice pace setup in the heat with Jose Ortiz riding. 

Grade 3 winner #11 Intricate Spirit (9-2) was a nice third in the Texas Glitter S. on the synthetic at Gulfstream Park in his sophomore bow and has a lot of room for improvement for Miguel Clement. The Complexity gelding comes in for his local debut, and the three-year-old figures to sit a nice trip just off of the expected pacesetters in the tilt before being asked for his late kick. The $185,000 yearling purchase will have Joel Rosario in the saddle. 

Trainer George Weaver has a pair of fleet sophomores who both placed at Royal Ascot as juveniles, led by the twice-raced #6 Sandal’s Song (6-1). The Mendelssohn colt was a stakes winner at first asking at Gulfstream Park prior to coming home a fine third in the Norfolk (G2) in his two-year-old finale, and the Kentucky-bred has worked well in advance of his return, as well. Irad will be in the silks. Windsor Castle S. third #9 Azizam (15-1) ran two even races in the Bluegrass State last season and could offer good value from off the tempo in his 2026 unveiling. The Havana Grey colt has recorded four bullet morning moves in his last five drills and seems to be coming up to the dash in fine fashion. Javier Castellano will take the reins.