Nine horses. One and a quarter miles at Saratoga. The 158th and final running of the Belmont Stakes at this storied venue. If you have been following the Triple Crown trail since Louisville, you already know the storylines. Renegade got beaten by a neck by Golden Tempo in the Kentucky Derby. The question in front of every serious handicapper today is simple: Does the Derby result mean anything at Saratoga, or does the pace tell a completely different story?
Let's get into it. This is how we are betting the 2026 Belmont Stakes, from the win spot all the way through the superfecta.
| 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
Field and morning-line odds via BUSR. Odds subject to change at post time.
Start with the pace, because the pace tells you almost everything in a 9-horse field at a mile and a quarter.
Golden Tempo ran last in the Kentucky Derby until deep stretch, and Velazquez found a hole through a tiring field at exactly the right moment. That kind of trip is almost impossible to replicate. The Derby was a full 20-horse field with a fast and contested early pace. Saratoga today has nine horses. The fractions will be more honest, not suicidal. That matters enormously for a horse that needs others to burn out in front of him before he can fire.
Renegade, by contrast, is a stalker. Irad Ortiz Jr. will have him rolling by the half-mile pole, and with fewer bodies to navigate, Todd Pletcher's horse gets a clear run to the far turn. That neck loss in Louisville looks better every time you run through the trip notes. Renegade had traffic. Today, he gets a cleaner trip, and at 2-1, he is squarely in line with his actual ability.
If you want to dig deeper into how pace setups have shaped this race historically, the Belmont betting guide at US Racing has solid context for understanding the distance and pace dynamics at Saratoga.
Renegade is our top win selection. Chief Wallabee is the horse we want underneath and in every exotic ticket.
Bill Mott won the Belmont at Saratoga in 2025 with Sovereignty, ridden by Junior Alvarado. That same tandem is back with a horse that profiles well at this distance, sitting a post 3 draw that gives Alvarado all the options in the world. Mott does not enter horses without a plan, and he does not come to this race with an afterthought. Chief Wallabee at 3-1 is a legitimate overlay given the trainer angle, the jockey, and the clean setup from post position 3.
The Road to the Roses trail produced several horses this spring that needed time to round into form, and Chief Wallabee fits that profile. He is peaking at the right time, and Mott's horses at Saratoga do not need an asterisk next to them.
Here is how to build your exotics today. Keep it structured. Do not overextend.
Exacta: Renegade over Chief Wallabee. Single ticket, $4 investment. If you want to spread, add the reverse: Chief Wallabee over Renegade. Total cost is $8 for the two-way exacta. That is a clean, defensible ticket.
Trifecta Key: Use Renegade and Chief Wallabee on top, with Commandment and Growth Equity filling the third slot. A $1 trifecta key structured as Renegade/Chief Wallabee with Commandment and Growth Equity third runs $12 and covers the most likely outcomes in this pace scenario. Commandment at 6-1 from post 2 is a natural pace presser who can steal the show if Renegade and Chief Wallabee have any trouble. Growth Equity at 12-1 is the longshot inclusion that pays if anything goes sideways with the chalk.
Superfecta: For a $0.50 superfecta box using Renegade, Chief Wallabee, Commandment, and Growth Equity, your total cost is $12. This gives you 24 combinations and solid coverage of the likely finishing order in any sequence. On a race with an honest pace and no huge surprises, four horses should cover the superfecta comfortably.
Ready to get your tickets in? Head to Belmont betting at US Racing and get your account loaded before post time at 7:04 p.m. ET. First-time players should check the Belmont free bet offer before signing up.
Win: Renegade (2-1, post 4, Pletcher/Irad Ortiz Jr.). Best single bet on the card. Clean post, proven stalker style, trips better than the Derby result suggests.
Place: Chief Wallabee (3-1, post 3, Mott/Alvarado). Back-to-back Saratoga Belmont trainer-jockey combo. Do not let 3-1 fool you into thinking this is a short price. In this field, it is a genuine overlay.
Longshot: Growth Equity (12-1, post 5, Pletcher/Saez). Two Pletcher horses in this race. If Renegade gets all the attention and Golden Tempo gets faded, Growth Equity draws the least amount of money while benefiting from the same honest pace scenario. Sprinkle him in your exotics and let it ride.
Fade: Golden Tempo (9-2). The pace setup at Saratoga in a 9-horse field does not suit him. Chad Brown will find another spot to cash, but this is not the day. Move on.
For bettors who have been following the Triple Crown from the start, you can review the full Belmont Stakes hub at US Racing and find everything you need in one place, including race replays, connections, and wagering options.
The conversation around the 2026 Belmont Stakes has been loud and pointed all week, and the sharpest takes are zeroing in on three things: fading Golden Tempo, trusting the Mott/Alvarado angle, and building exotics around an honest pace.
"Jody Demling has nailed 4 of the last 8 Belmont winners. He's fading Golden Tempo today and is ALL IN on an epic longshot a legendary trainer is 'very high on.' Get his picks now. #BelmontStakes #BestBets"
"Chief Wallabee shares the same trainer-jockey combo as 2025 Belmont winner Sovereignty, Bill Mott and Junior Alvarado. Can they go back-to-back at Saratoga? #BelmontStakes2026"
2026 Belmont Stakes Best Bets: Who Are You On? Renegade, Chief Wallabee, or a Longshot?
Most posters are split between Renegade at 2-1 and Chief Wallabee at 3-1. Several users are fading Golden Tempo entirely after his pace-dependent Derby win and are looking at Growth Equity or Commandment as value plays in the exotics.
Belmont Stakes 2026: Trifecta and Superfecta Ticket Builds
Threads focused on exotic construction with Renegade and Chief Wallabee as the top two, with several bettors including Growth Equity (12-1) and Commandment (6-1) in the bottom of their trifecta boxes given the honest pace scenario expected at Saratoga.
Want to see more of what the betting community is saying? Browse the full conversation on X and Reddit to track how the public money and sharp opinion is moving before post time.
Renegade is the 2-1 morning-line favorite, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. He finished a neck behind Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo and figures to get a much cleaner pace setup at Saratoga in a 9-horse field. The trip notes from Louisville favor him today.
Key Renegade and Chief Wallabee on top in your exacta and trifecta, with Commandment and Growth Equity filling the bottom slots. A $1 trifecta key using those four horses runs $12 and gives you solid coverage without overextending your bankroll. For the superfecta, a $0.50 box of those same four horses also costs $12 and covers 24 combinations. Check the full Belmont betting guide for more ticket-building strategies.
You can bet on the Belmont Stakes right now at US Racing. New players get $1,000 Cash at BUSR and up to 10% rebates on every wager. Post time is 7:04 p.m. ET on June 6 at Saratoga Race Course. If you want to get in on a Belmont free bet before you commit your bankroll, that option is available too. Nine horses, one and a quarter miles, and one of the cleanest pace scenarios we have seen in a Triple Crown finale in years. Get your tickets in early.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
