The 158th running of the Belmont Stakes will take place on Saturday, June 6 with a post time at 7:04 p.m. ET. Preakness Stakes winner Napolean Solo will not be taking part in this race at Saratoga Race Course, but Kentucky Derby 2026 winner Golden Tempo will be part of the field. Renegade is the 2-1 favorite in the latest Belmont Stakes 2026 odds, followed by Chief Wallabee (3-1) and Golden Tempo (9-2). Claim your exclusive TwinSpires $400 signup offer here with promo code CBSSPORTS, which is higher than what's available to the general public:
This final leg of the Triple Crown won't have any horses contending for that prestigious title, but there's still value on the board for one of the top horse races of the year. 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 Gene Menez.
A former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, Menez covered an array of sports, including horse racing, for the magazine and its website for almost 14 years. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as SI's handicapper for the Triple Crown races and correctly predicted Super Saver to win the Kentucky Derby in 2010.
In 2015, while writing for Sports on Earth, Menez accurately gave out the Kentucky Derby superfecta (American Pharoah, Firing Line, Dortmund and Frosted), which paid $1,268.20 for $2. Then in 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4, which paid almost $6,900 on a $1 bet. In 2024, Menez gave out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby. In last year's Kentucky Derby, he hammered the exacta and trifecta for a $1,045 payout. Anyone who has followed his horse racing betting advice could be way up.
Now, Menez has handicapped the 2026 Belmont Stakes field and revealed his picks. Go here to see them.
Top 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions
One of Menez's surprising 2026 Belmont Stakes picks: The expert says he'll be avoiding the Derby champ Golden Tempo (9-2) when making any wagers, citing his lack of a strong resume and how the Derby played out to put him in position to win it. Renegade and Ocelli were with him stride for stride at the end but just couldn't make up ground.
Golden Tempo "is unlikely to get the sweet pace setup that greatly helped him win the Derby," the expert told SportsLine. Golden Tempo went into the Derby as a 30-1 longshot, and there was a reason for that. The horse was impressive to start his run to the Derby, winning his maiden and the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes. But he finished third in his final two Derby prep races -- the Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby. See which other horses to back at SportsLine.
How to make 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, bets
Instead, Menez's top pick is a horse who "should sit a perfect trip." He also is high on a double-digit longshot who can "upset this field at a nice price." Menez 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 longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Belmont Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Menez's picks for the Belmont Stakes, all from the expert who had a $1,045 payout at last year's Kentucky Derby.
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 |
