Belmont Stakes Picks 2026, Vegas Odds and Predictions After Post Draw

The Belmont Stakes are set to take place on Saturday, and it should bring a thrilling conclusion to this year's Triple Crown series.

There will be no Triple Crown winner in 2026, of course, but fans have known that since before the Preakness. Trainer Cherie DeVaux announced shortly after the Kentucky Derby that Derby winner Golden Tempo wouldn't race in Maryland—following the recent trend for Derby winners.

However, Golden Tempo will be in the field for the Belmont and will be challenged by several terrific horses.

The Preakness brought a surprise winner in Napoleon Solo, but trainer Chad Summers is holding him out of the Belmont while eyeing the Haskell Stakes in July.

Here, you'll find the post positions, early odds, and a few early predictions.

2026 Belmont Stakes

Al Bello/Getty Images

Sovereignty with Junior Alvarado up, wins the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes

When: Saturday, June 6

Post Time: 7:04 p.m. ET

Where: Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, NY

Distance: 1¼ miles

Prize Purse: $2 Million ($1.2 Million to winner)

TV and Live Stream: Fox and Fox One

Post Positions and Odds

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Golden Tempo, with jockey José Ortiz

1. Vitruvian Man 30-1

2. Powershift 12-1

3. Chief Wallabee 3-1

4. Renegade 2-1

5. Ottinho 20-1

6. Growth Equity 12-1

7. Commandment 6-1

8. Emerging Market 6-1

9. Golden Tempo 9-2

*Odds from NYRA.com

Preview and Predictions

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Commandment runs on the track during the morning training for the 152nd Kentucky Derby

Summers' decision to hold Napoleon Solo out of the Belmont wasn't entirely surprising. The surprise Preakness champion won the biggest race of his career by being the best sprinter in a relatively slow field.

Napoleon Solo's time of 1:58.69 was the slowest for a Preakness winner since Hill Prince's 1:59.20 time in 1950.

Pure speed won't be as much of a factor at the Belmont, which will again equal the Kentucky Derby's 1¼ mile distance. The race is typically a 1½ mile distance, but for the third straight year, the race will be held at Saratoga Race Course during Belmont Park's ongoing renovations. That means a shorter race than what is normal but a longer race than the Preakness.

We're only talking about another ¹⁄₁₆ mile, but staying power will be a bit more important this weekend than it was at Laurel Park.

This is a big reason why horses that fared well at the Kentucky Derby are among the early favorites for the Belmont. Golden Tempo, Renegade, and Chief Wallabee were three of the top four finishers at Churchill Downs.

After taking the Preakness off, DeVaux remains confident in Golden Tempo.

"He's continuing to tout himself, acts really confident, really looks great on the track," she said, per Mike Kane of Thoroughbred Daily News. "All of those metrics are trending in that positive direction."

To win the Kentucky Derby, it took a come-from-the-rear effort that saw Golden Tempo overtake Renegade in the very final stretch and through a crowded field. With a smaller field, Golden Tempo could have a tougher time closing—especially from the outside position.

Renegade will have a very good shot to win this rematch.

However, fans shouldn't be shocked if Commandment rebounds from a seventh-place finish at the Derby to take the final leg of the Triple Crown. The Brad Cox-trained horse had won four straight races, including the Florida Derby, before getting caught in traffic at Churchill Downs and failing to make a strong run.

Commandment was guided by Luis Saez at the Derby but will be ridden by John R Velazquez at the Belmont.

"You can't go wrong when you lug him up on a horse, and I think it'll be a good match-up," Cox said in a National Thoroughbred Racing Association teleconference (h/t Lillian Davis of Paulick Report).

Velazquez has six Triple Crown wins on his resume and has twice won the Belmont. The prediction here is that he gets Belmont win No. 3 atop Commandment this weekend.

Prediction

1. Commandment

2. Renegade

3. Chief Wallabee