Kentucky Derby champion Golden Tempo is set to make his highly anticipated return in the 2026 Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York due to ongoing renovations at Belmont Park. The race is shortened to 1¼ miles, the same as the Kentucky Derby, to suit Saratoga's track configuration, instead of the classic 1½-mile "Test of the Champion." The race for the $2 million purse goes to post at 7:04 p.m. ET. Claim your exclusive TwinSpires $400 signup offer here with promo code CBSSPORTS, which is higher than what's available to the general public:
Of the nine-horse Belmont Stakes field, several runners return from the May 2 Kentucky Derby. Current Belmont Stakes 2026 odds highlight a strong rematch, featuring Kentucky Derby runner-up Renegade (2-1 favorite), trained by Todd Pletcher, with Chief Wallabee at 3-1 and surprise Derby winner Golden Tempo at 9-2. Golden Tempo skipped the Preakness to prep for the Belmont. Before making any 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, be sure to see the 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions and best bets from SportsLine's elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling hit the top three finishers in the 2025 Kentucky Derby in the correct order. He also called 11 of the last 22 Preakness winners and predicted the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last eight years, including an exacta in 2022 with Mo Donegal and Nest. Anyone who has followed him on horse racing betting sites could be way up.
Now, with the 2026 Belmont Stakes field set, Demling is sharing his 2026 Belmont Stakes betting picks and 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions over at SportsLine. Go to SportsLine to see them.
Top 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions
One surprise in Demling's 2026 Belmont Stakes picks: Demling is not high on Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo (9-2). Golden Tempo bested all of the top horses at Belmont a few weeks ago in Louisville, rallying from the back of a crowded back to shock the field and win at 23-1 odds.
The horse skipped the Preakness Stakes to be ready for the similarly distanced Belmont, but Demling doesn't like the value in this spot. "Yes, the Derby winner is a very nice horse and race a monster race under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs," Demling wrote at SportsLine. "But I still don't believe he's the best of this bunch and I don't think he gets a perfect set up here like he did at Churchill." See which horses to back at SportsLine and claim your exclusive TwinSpires $400 signup offer here with promo code CBSSPORTS, which is higher than what's available to the general public:
How to make 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, bets
Demling is especially high on an epic double-digit longshot that a legendary trainer is "very high on." Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Belmont Stakes leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Belmont Stakes 2026, and which stunning longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Belmont Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the Belmont Stakes, all from the expert who has nailed four of the last eight winners.
2026 Belmont Stakes odds
| Post | Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitruvian Man | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 2 | Powershift | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 3 | Chief Wallabee | 3-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 4 | Renegade | 2-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 5 | Ottinho | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 6 | Growth Equity | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 7 | Commandment | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 8 | Emerging Market | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 9 | Golden Tempo | 9-2 | SEE PICKS |
