The 2026 Belmont Stakes is the final leg of American horse racing's Triple Crown, and for Texas bettors, it represents one of the biggest single-race wagering opportunities of the year. The 158th running goes tonight -- Saturday, June 6, 2026 -- at Saratoga Race Course with a $2 million purse and a nine-horse field that includes Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, runner-up Renegade, and a pace scenario that sets up for a legitimate longshot upset.
Texas has one of the deepest horse racing cultures in the country. From Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie to Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, the state breeds and follows thoroughbreds year-round. When the Belmont Stakes rolls around to close out the Triple Crown, Texas bettors are active, engaged, and looking for value. This guide covers everything you need -- odds, betting markets, handicapping basics, and strategy -- to make the most of tonight's race.
New players can claim the $1,000 Sign Up Cash Bonus and 10% horse betting rebate paid daily on selected wagers through USRacing.com before the 7:04 PM ET post time.
| Race | 158th Belmont Stakes (Grade 1) |
| Date | Saturday, June 6, 2026 |
| Post Time | 7:04 PM ET |
| Location | Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, New York |
| Purse | $2 million |
| Distance | 1 1/4 miles (10 furlongs) -- dirt |
| Field Size | 9 horses confirmed, zero scratches |
| Broadcast | FOX (3:00 PM - 7:30 PM ET) | FS2 (10:30 AM - 3:00 PM ET) |
The Belmont Stakes has been run since 1867, making it the oldest of the three Triple Crown races. It predates both the Kentucky Derby (1875) and the Preakness Stakes (1873) and carries a tradition that defines American thoroughbred racing. Thirteen horses have won the Triple Crown in the race's history -- the most recent being Justify in 2018 -- and the Belmont is where every one of those champions sealed their legacy.
This year, there is no Triple Crown at stake. Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo skipped the Preakness Stakes, and Napoleon Solo won at Pimlico. But the Belmont stands on its own as a $2 million Grade 1 test of class, stamina, and pace management. It is the race that closes the book on the 2026 Triple Crown season, and it draws national attention regardless of whether the ultimate prize is on the line.
What makes the Belmont distinct from the Derby is scope and pace. The Derby fields 20 horses in a chaotic sprint to the first turn. The Belmont is a more measured race -- smaller field, longer distance, and a pace scenario that rewards horses with tactical intelligence over raw speed. This year, with a nine-horse field and no confirmed speed horses, the pace setup is the story. For bettors, that distinction is where the value lies.
Texas has a strong horse racing infrastructure and a large population of active bettors. Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie hosts live thoroughbred meets. Sam Houston Race Park in Houston and Retama Park in San Antonio run year-round programs. The state produces more Quarter Horse champions than anywhere in the country.
Texas residents can access Belmont Stakes betting information, odds, and wagering guides through USRacing.com. New players can sign up today and claim the $1,000 Sign Up Cash Bonus plus a 10% horse betting rebate paid daily on selected wagers -- two of the strongest offers available for tonight's race. BUSR racebook works on any iPhone or Android browser with no app download required.
Availability of services may vary by location. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable local laws and regulations.
The Belmont Stakes uses the pari-mutuel wagering system. All bets go into a shared pool; the track takes a small percentage, and the remainder is divided among winning tickets. That means the odds you see are not fixed -- they reflect the collective wagering of every bettor in the pool, updated in real time until the gates open.
The morning line is a handicapper's estimate of where the odds will settle at post time. It is a starting point, not a guarantee. Heavy public wagering on a favorite like Renegade can push his odds shorter than 2-1, while a horse like Powershift may drift from 12-1 to 10-1 or hold depending on action.
Converting odds to implied probability is the fastest way to find value. Here is how the 2026 Belmont Stakes morning line translates:
| Horse | Morning Line | Implied Win % | $2 Win Pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renegade | 2-1 | 33.3% | $6.00 |
| Chief Wallabee | 3-1 | 25.0% | $8.00 |
| Golden Tempo | 9-2 | 18.2% | $11.00 |
| Commandment | 6-1 | 14.3% | $14.00 |
| Emerging Market | 6-1 | 14.3% | $14.00 |
| Powershift | 12-1 | 7.7% | $26.00 |
| Growth Equity | 12-1 | 7.7% | $26.00 |
| Ottinho | 20-1 | 4.8% | $42.00 |
| Vitruvian Man | 30-1 | 3.2% | $62.00 |
Track live odds movement on every horse right up to post time at our 2026 Belmont Stakes odds page. Use our Belmont Stakes Betting Calculator to see exactly what your ticket pays before you submit it.
| 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
The Belmont Stakes offers a full menu of wagering options from simple straight bets to high-reward exotic combinations. Here is what each market means and how it works:
For a full breakdown of how to structure exotic wagers, visit our Belmont Stakes Betting Guide. To calculate payouts on any combination before you bet, use the Belmont Stakes Betting Calculator.
Handicapping is the process of evaluating each horse's chances using available data. For the Belmont Stakes, six factors matter most:
Pace analysis. This is the most important factor in the 2026 Belmont. No confirmed speed horses means the early fractions will be slow, compromising deep closers like Golden Tempo and Renegade and rewarding whoever gets to the front first. Powershift, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Luis Saez, fits the pace scenario best.
Speed figures. The Beyer Speed Figure measures how fast a horse ran, adjusted for track conditions. A horse consistently running Beyers in the 90s is more reliable than one with one big number and two poor efforts.
Class. Moving up in class is a risk. Powershift's last win came in a maiden special weight race -- that is a class concern. But horses like Dornoch (2024 winner) made similar jumps and succeeded when the pace was set up right.
Trainer and jockey patterns. Todd Pletcher has won the Belmont Stakes four times. Luis Saez has won it twice, including his 2024 wire-to-wire victory on Dornoch at this same Saratoga course and distance. Both connections carry enormous situational weight tonight.
Track conditions. Scattered thunderstorms are in the forecast with an 80% chance of rain Saturday night. The track opened fast this morning, but conditions are changing. Horses with proven off-track form jump in value if the surface goes sloppy by post time.
Post position. In a nine-horse field at 1 1/4 miles, post position is less critical than in the Kentucky Derby's 20-horse sprint. Inside posts can be an advantage in a pace-honest race. Powershift drew post 2 -- a clean stalking position if he does not lead outright.
Three things separate the Belmont from the other Triple Crown races in 2026.
First, the venue. This is the third and final year the Belmont Stakes runs at Saratoga Race Course while Belmont Park undergoes a complete rebuild. Saratoga's main dirt track measures 1 1/8 miles, which is why the race is run at 1 1/4 miles rather than its traditional 1 1/2-mile distance. The shorter configuration changes the pace profile significantly -- a 1 1/2-mile race rewards pure stamina, while 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga is closer to a test of pace management and class.
Second, the field size. With nine horses, the Belmont is a far more manageable wagering proposition than the Derby's 20-horse chaos. Exotic tickets are cheaper to structure and the race result is more predictable -- except when the pace sets up for a complete upset.
Third, the freshness factor. Golden Tempo skipped the Preakness and comes in off a five-week freshening. That is exactly what Sovereignty did in 2025 -- skip Pimlico, freshen up, win the Belmont. The pattern is established and adds another layer of complexity to tonight's market.
Favorites have won the Belmont Stakes 44% of the time historically -- the highest rate of any Triple Crown race. The smaller field and more deliberate pace typically favor the top of the market. But this year's paceless setup is an exception to that rule.
Longshots have a strong record at the Saratoga version of the Belmont. Dornoch won at 17-1 in 2024 under Luis Saez. The wire-to-wire trip off a soft pace is now a proven playbook at this course and distance, and Saez is back tonight in the same role aboard Powershift.
Fresh horses coming off a Derby skip have a strong recent record. Sovereignty won in 2025 after bypassing the Preakness. Golden Tempo follows the same path tonight.
Trainer Todd Pletcher has won this race four times and saddles both Renegade (the favorite) and Powershift (the longshot) tonight -- an unusual position of strength from a single barn.
For the full 2026 Belmont Stakes contenders breakdown, visit the contenders page.
A disciplined approach to tonight's race starts with bankroll management. Set a budget before you open the odds board and stick to it regardless of how the market moves in the final hour. The most common mistake in race day betting is chasing a bad early result with a larger late bet.
The Win pool is where most public money lands, which means the favorites are often slightly overbet and the longshots slightly underbet. In a race with casual Triple Crown money flooding in from bettors who only watch once a year, that pricing gap is most pronounced on Derby names like Golden Tempo and Renegade.
Exotic wagers offer the best return on investment when you have a strong opinion on a longshot. A $1 Trifecta box using Powershift, Renegade, and Golden Tempo in any order costs $6 and pays significantly if all three land in the top three. Adding a fourth horse to that box costs $24 but covers more outcomes.
Market shopping is underused by recreational bettors. Different tracks and platforms can show marginally different prices in the final minutes before the post. Getting 11-1 instead of 9-1 on a longshot makes a meaningful difference in your return.
Use our Belmont Stakes Betting Calculator to model your tickets before you place them, and visit the Belmont Stakes betting page for a complete wagering guide.
Visit USRacing.com and create your account. Sign-up takes under three minutes. New members receive a $1,000 Sign Up Cash Bonus plus a 10% horse betting rebate paid daily on selected wagers. Sign Up Now
Accepted deposit methods include debit and credit cards, ACH bank transfers, cryptocurrency, and prepaid cards. Fund your account before post time so your balance is ready when you need it.
Check the live 2026 Belmont Stakes odds and review the full field. Use the Betting Calculator to model your payout before placing any wager.
Select your wager -- Win, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, or Daily Double. Review the Belmont Stakes Betting Guide if you need help structuring an exotic ticket.
Submit your wager before post time and confirm your ticket. The system sends a confirmation immediately. Watch the race live on FOX starting at 3:00 PM ET. Bet Now
Availability of services may vary by location. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable local laws and regulations.
Post time for the 2026 Belmont Stakes is 7:04 PM ET on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Saratoga Race Course. Television coverage is on FOX from 3:00 PM ET.
The 158th Belmont Stakes is held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York -- the third and final year at Saratoga while Belmont Park undergoes a full reconstruction. The race returns to a reimagined Belmont Park in 2027.
The 2026 Belmont Stakes carries a $2 million purse.
Win, Exacta, Trifecta, and Superfecta are the most popular Belmont Stakes betting markets. The Trifecta and Superfecta offer the largest potential payouts and are especially attractive in a nine-horse field where a longshot can land in the top three.
The Belmont Stakes has a smaller field (nine horses versus twenty at the Derby), a different distance (1 1/4 miles at Saratoga versus 1 1/4 miles at Churchill Downs this year), and a very different pace profile. The Derby typically has multiple speed horses creating a hot pace. The Belmont often has a softer pace setup, which changes the race dynamics completely.
Yes. Texas residents can access Belmont Stakes odds, betting guides, and wagering information through USRacing.com. New players can claim a $1,000 Sign Up Cash Bonus plus a 10% horse betting rebate paid daily on selected wagers before tonight's post time.
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.
