| 2026 Belmont Stakes Odds | ||
| Official post positions set following the post-position draw on Monday, June 1, 2026. | ||
| PP | Horse / Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitruvian ManAntonio Fresu · D. O'Neill | 30/1 |
| 2 | PowershiftLuis Saez · T. Pletcher | 12/1 |
| 3 | Chief WallabeeJunior Alvarado · W. Mott | 3/1 |
| 4 | RenegadeIrad Ortiz Jr. · T. Pletcher | 2/1 |
| 5 | OttinhoDylan Davis · C. Brown | 20/1 |
| 6 | Growth EquityManny Franco · C. Brown | 12/1 |
| 7 | CommandmentJohn Velazquez · B. Cox | 6/1 |
| 8 | Emerging MarketFlavien Prat · C. Brown | 6/1 |
| 9 | Golden TempoJose Ortiz · C. DeVaux | 9/2 |
Last Updated on 06/01/2026
Put it like this: Renegade is ready to avenge his narrow loss to Golden Tempo in the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 2. Same with Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Bring on the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course! After the Derby, Renegade was shipped to Saratoga to begin preparing for his rematch with Golden Tempo, and seven other rivals entered for the final leg of the Triple Crown.
He’s posted two impressive workouts at the Spa, breezing 4 furlongs in 49.80 seconds on May 21 and working 4 furlongs in 48.60 on Friday, May 29.
With the Belmont distance at 1 ¼ miles rather than the traditional 1 ½ miles due to the configuration of the Saratoga oval, the race sets up nicely for Renegade. A year ago, Sovereignty rallied from fifth to win the Belmont at Saratoga. In 2024, it was a stalking Dornoch who barely prevailed over a determined Mindframe and fast-closing Sierra Leone.
Yes, Golden Tempo, with Irad’s brother Jose aboard, is a deep closer as well, but Renegade might have the edge, having raced over the surface while the Derby winner just recently arrived at Saratoga from Kentucky.
With a field of nine, including stablemate Powershift, Renegade may be able to race closer to the front-runners since he leaves from post 4 in a smaller field than the Derby.
He was purchased for $975,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and a victory in Belmont would put him over the $3 million mark in earnings.
Although a deep closer, Renegade is adaptable. In his four-length victory in the Arkansas Derby (G1), he rallied from next to last off a moderate pace but was never too far behind. He raced the same way in winning the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
With the field much smaller than the Derby, there’s less chance of bumping at the start and having to weave through a dozen or so rivals, so a clear outside run to the wire is likely.
If the early fractions are slow Saturday, Renegade should be much closer to the pace than in the Derby, where he rallied from 12th after a mile, took the lead briefly, before losing by a neck.
“I think Renegade is tractable enough where if they’re not going that fast, he can be a little closer than he has been,” Pletcher said. “In the Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby, we felt there was going to be enough pace to run at that Irad wanted to let him settle and make his run, but he’s adaptable enough to adjust to a really slow pace.”
Yes, we’re looking at a short price, but we still think it’s worth a sizeable win wager. If you feel Derby form will hold up, a trifecta box of Renegade, Golden Tempo, and Chief Wallabee could be worthwhile, and if you stretch your bet with a fourth horse, you’ll likely want to look at Commandment.
With our Belmont Stakes Betting Calculator, you can build your exotic wagering ticket with Renegade. Let´s give it a try.
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
