Golden Tempo may have defeated Renegade at the Kentucky Derby last month, but it’s the latter that has been installed as the betting favorite for the 2026 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.
Renegade, who was the 5-1 favorite on the morning line for the Run for the Roses, is 2-1 to win the Belmont.
Mike Repole’s 3-year-old star checked into Churchill Downs with back-to-back wins in the Grade I Arkansas Derby and the Sam F. Davis.
Although he finished runner-up to Golden Tempo in the Run for the Roses, Renegade arguably ran the most impressive race of anybody in the field.
After starting in the No. 1 spot, Renegade was pushed back as far as 16th and was 10 lengths behind the leaders before he battled back and lost by a neck to Golden Tempo.
He is trained by Todd Pletcher, who has four wins at the Belmont Stakes, most recently with Mo Donegal in 2022.
2026 Belmont Stakes odds
| No. | Horse | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitruvian Man | 30-1 |
| 2 | Powershift | 12-1 |
| 3 | Chief Wallabee | 3-1 |
| 4 | Renegade | 2-1 |
| 5 | Ottinho | 20-1 |
| 6 | Growth Equity | 12-1 |
| 7 | Commandement | 6-1 |
| 8 | Emerging Market | 6-1 |
| 9 | Golden Tempo | 9-2 |
Golden Tempo, who came from way back to win the Kentucky Derby as a 23-1 long shot, is the second favorite at 9-2.
Chief Wallabee, a trendy pick at Churchill Downs a month ago, is the third favorite at 3-1. He finished fourth on the first Saturday in May after going off with 7-1 odds.
Ocelli is skipping the Belmont Stakes, withdrawing on Sunday, and opting instead for the Ohio Derby.
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After finishing third at the Kentucky Derby and fourth at the Preakness Stakes, the maiden is passing on becoming the only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this year.
Preakness winner Napoleon Solo will also not participate in the Belmont Stakes.
Another Derby favorite, Commandment, is 6-1 to win the final jewel of the Triple Crown.
The 2026 Belmont Stakes will take place on Saturday, June 6 at 7:04 p.m. ET at Saratoga Race Track due to renovations at Belmont Park.
This is expected to be the final time the “Test of the Champion” will be run at Saratoga.
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
