Belmont Stakes 2026: Golden Tempo Returns to Saratoga as Triple Crown Final Approaches
With Belmont Park undergoing renovations, the 2026 Belmont Stakes shifts to Saratoga Race Course for the third consecutive year, featuring a nine-horse field and a distance identical to the Derby.
The final leg of the 2026 Triple Crown season is set to take place on Saturday, June 6, at Saratoga Race Course in New York. This marks the third straight year the Belmont Stakes has been held at Saratoga while the traditional Belmont Park venue undergoes renovations. The event will be broadcast on FOX and streamed via fubo, with a scheduled start time of 7:04 p.m. Eastern Time.
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo returns to action after skipping the Preakness Stakes due to a quick turnaround. Listed as the third favourite at 9/2 odds, Golden Tempo aims to replicate the feat achieved by Sovereignty in 2025, who won both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes in the same year. A victory for Golden Tempo would mark the second consecutive year the Kentucky Derby winner has also claimed the Belmont title.
The morning-line favourite is Renegade at 2/1 odds. Renegade also bypassed the Preakness Stakes after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby while entering as the favourite. Chief Wallabee, who finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby, is the second favourite at 3/1 odds and will look to improve upon that result at Saratoga.
The race will be contested over a distance of 1.25 miles, a significant adjustment from the traditional 1.5-mile distance run at Belmont Park. This mile-and-a-quarter distance is identical to that of the Kentucky Derby, a factor that may serve as a predictor for success in the final leg of the Triple Crown season.
The field consists of nine horses in total. While the Triple Crown itself is no longer on the line, the race remains a critical test for the leading contenders, with Golden Tempo, Renegade, and Chief Wallabee positioned as the primary contenders based on current odds and recent performances.
