2026 Belmont Stakes Official Guide: Odds, Field, and Weather Forecast

The 158th running of the Belmont Stakes takes place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. This is the third consecutive year the event is held at Saratoga while Belmont Park undergoes a major reconstruction. Because of the configuration of the Saratoga track, the race is contested at a distance of 1 1/4 miles rather than its traditional 1 1/2 miles.The field consists of nine confirmed horses competing for a $2 million purse. Post time is scheduled for 7:04 PM ET. The morning-line favorite is Renegade (2-1), trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.. Renegade enters the race fresh after skipping the Preakness Stakes following a second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Chief Wallabee (3-1) is the second choice, reuniting the trainer-jockey team of Bill Mott and Junior Alvarado, who won this race the previous year with Sovereignty.Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo (9-2) is the third choice. After making history by providing trainer Cherie DeVaux with a win in the Run for the Roses, the horse skipped the Preakness to prepare for this final leg of the Triple Crown. Golden Tempo drew the extreme outside post 9, which, combined with his deep-closing running style, influenced oddsmakers' decisions.Weather conditions are expected to be a significant factor. While the week leading up to the race featured clear skies and warm temperatures, the forecast for Saturday evening includes an 80% chance of showers and potential thunderstormsnear post time. If the track becomes "sloppy" or "muddy," the race dynamics may shift to favor tactical speed horses that sit just off the lead, potentially disadvantaging deep closers who must navigate churned-up ground.The official starting gate and odds are as follows:Vitruvian Man (30-1): Ridden by Antonio Fresu and trained by Doug O'Neill.Powershift (12-1): Ridden by Luis Saez and trained by Todd Pletcher.Chief Wallabee (3-1): Ridden by Junior Alvarado and trained by Bill Mott.Renegade (2-1): Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and trained by Todd Pletcher.Ottinho (20-1): Ridden by Dylan Davis and trained by Chad Brown.Growth Equity (12-1): Ridden by Manny Franco and trained by Chad Brown.Commandment (6-1): Ridden by John Velazquez and trained by Brad Cox.Emerging Market (6-1): Ridden by Flavien Prat and trained by Chad Brown.Golden Tempo (9-2): Ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Cherie DeVaux.Strategic analysis suggests that because there are no confirmed front-running "speed horses" in the field, the pace may be modest, potentially favoring those drawn toward the inside.In international racing news from the same day, the Epsom Derby in England was won by Christmas Day, a 7-1 shot trained by Aidan O'Brien. The race was marked by controversy when the favorite, Benvenuto Cellini, was declared a non-runner after its leg was caught in the starting stalls, denying it a fair start.For the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, television coverage begins at 3:00 PM ET on FOX, with earlier and later portions of the card airing on FS2.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-world-between-us--6886561/support.