After a five-week rest, Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo will return to take part in the Saturday, June 6, Belmont Stakes. It is the third leg of the Triple Crown. This year's race will be held at Saratoga Race Course while renovations to Belmont Park are completed. Normally, the Belmont Stakes race is run at 1 ½ miles, but this year's event covers 1 ¼ miles.
Renegade enters as the 2-1 favorite to win the Belmont. He is followed by Golden Tempo (3-1), Chief Wallabee (9-2), Commandment (6-1) and Emerging Market (8-1). 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
For the 2026 Belmont Stakes, we can tell you that Demling is fading Golden Tempo (3-1), even though the Kentucky Derby winner is well-rested after skipping the Preakness. Despite making a last to first run to win the Derby, Demling doesn't see such heroics this time around. He points to the fact that after his previous win at the 2026 Lecomte in January, he slumped to a third-place finish at the 2026 Risen Star, also failing to increase his speed figures despite an increase in distance.
The Cherie DeVaux-trained Golden Tempo followed that up with a third-place finish at the 2026 Louisiana Derby in March. Emerging Market, who is part of the Belmont Stakes field at 8-1, was first that day. Although Golden Tempo has three wins in five previous races, Demling is looking for better value elsewhere. See which horses to back at SportsLine.
How to make 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, bets
Demling is especially high on an epic longshot who "will make a big jump" to win it all. Anyone who backs this sleeper pick could hit it big. 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.
