158th Belmont Stakes Set for Saratoga Race Course
The 158th Belmont Stakes is set for Saturday as the last part of the Triple Crown series. This year, the race takes place at Saratoga Race Course because Belmont Park is undergoing major renovations. This move marks the third consecutive year the race runs at Saratoga instead of its usual location.
The Belmont Stakes, known as ‘The Test of the Champion,’ has been shortened to 1 1/4 miles, instead of the typical 1 1/2-mile run at Belmont Park. Golden Tempo, who triumphed at the Kentucky Derby, will participate after skipping the Preakness Stakes.
The Preakness Stakes winner, Napoleon Solo, will not appear in the Belmont Stakes. None of the horses from the Preakness Stakes will compete in the Belmont Stakes, resulting in no horse racing in all three stages of the Triple Crown this year.
Nine horses compete for a $2 million purse, and here are the contenders:
- Vitruvian Man (Antonio Fresu) 17-1
- Powershift (Luis Saez) 11-1
- Chief Wallabee (Junior Alvarado) 6-1
- Renegade (Irad Ortiz Jr.) 2-1
- Ottinho (Dylan Davis) 19-1
- Growth Equity (Manuel Franco) 11-1
- Commandment (John Velazquez) 5-1
- Emerging Market (Flavien Prat) 5-1
- Golden Tempo (José Ortiz) 9-2
Among the favorites, Renegade has 2-1 odds. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Renegade finished second in the Kentucky Derby. Emerging Market and Commandment, trained by Chad Brown and Brad Cox respectively, have 5-1 odds. Golden Tempo, under Cherie DeVaux, stands at 9-2. Chief Wallabee is at 6-1, trained by Bill Mott.
Golden Tempo had a five-week break after winning the Kentucky Derby, mirroring Sovereignty’s path last year when it took first place in the Belmont Stakes after skipping the Preakness. If Golden Tempo wins, DeVaux will become the first female trainer to win multiple races in the Triple Crown series in the same year.
Jena Antonucci made history in 2023 by becoming the first woman to train a Belmont Stakes winner. Now, five horses that raced in the Kentucky Derby will run in the Belmont Stakes: Golden Tempo, Chief Wallabee, Renegade, Commandment, and Emerging Market.
Rain is forecasted for Saturday afternoon in Saratoga. The event details are as follows:
- Location: Saratoga Springs, New York
- Date: June 6, 2026
- Post Time: 7:04 p.m. ET
- Broadcast: FOX and FS1, with streaming on FOX One
- Purse: $2 million