SportsLine expert favours longshots over favourites in 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions
With trainer Chad Brown entering three horses, the SportsLine analyst builds his selections around a double-digit longshot as the 158th running of the Test of Champions approaches.
SportsLine expert Jody Demling has released his win, place, and show predictions for the 2026 Belmont Stakes, scheduled for Saturday, 6 June at Saratoga Race Course. The race, known as the Test of Champions, carries a post time of 7:04 p.m. ET, with the field set to include a strong contingent from trainer Chad Brown.
Brown is utilising a "strength in numbers" approach by entering three horses into the field: Emerging Market at 6-1, Growth Equity at 12-1, and Ottinho at 20-1. The trainer, a native of Mechanicville, New York, is aiming for his first Belmont victory at a track located just 15 minutes from his hometown.
The current betting favourites remain Renegade at 2-1, Chief Wallabee at 3-1, and Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo at 9-2. However, Demling has excluded Golden Tempo from his selections, citing concerns about the horse's suitability for the specific race setup compared to the conditions at Churchill Downs.
"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," Demling told SportsLine regarding the exclusion of the Derby winner. Instead, the expert is building his betting tickets around an "epic double-digit longshot" trained by Brown, whom he describes as being "very high on".
Demling, who correctly predicted the top three finishers in the 2025 Kentucky Derby and has identified winners in five of the last 22 Preakness Stakes, is also providing specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta, and superfecta wagers. These exotic bets require picking the first, second, third, and fourth-place finishers in the correct order, with payouts varying significantly based on the combinations selected.
The historical context of the race highlights the dominance of American thoroughbreds, with only nine of the prior 157 champions born outside the United States. Victory Gallop, a Canadian thoroughbred, remains the last foreign-born champion, winning in 1998.
For those looking to place wagers, SportsLine is promoting a TwinSpires signup offer using the promo code CBSSPORTS, which provides a higher value than the standard public offer. Detailed picks for the 2026 Belmont Stakes are available through the SportsLine platform.
