The final leg of horse racing's Triple Crown for 2026 is set for Saturday. The 158th running of the Belmont Stakes will be held at the 1 ¼ -mile Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Post time will be approximately 7:04 p.m. ET with temperatures hovering near 80 degrees and some scattered storms in the area. Renegade enters as the 2-1 favorite in the 2026 Belmont Stakes odds. Claim your exclusive TwinSpires $400 signup offer here with promo code CBSSPORTS, which is higher than what's available to the general public:
The colt has never finished lower than third and has posted two wins in six starts, including three second-place finishes. Other challengers include Chief Wallabee at 3-1, Golden Tempo, the Kentucky Derby winner, at 9-2, and Commandment and Emerging Market, both at 6-1. 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
One surprise in Demling's 2026 Belmont Stakes picks: Demling is not high on Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo (9-2). Golden Tempo made history when he rallied late from last place to take the win at Churchill Downs, giving trainer Cherie DeVaux her first win at the Kentucky Derby. DeVaux was also the first female trainer to ever win the event. Golden Tempo has been solid with three wins in five starts, including two third-place finishes.
Despite those accolades, Demling isn't sure Golden Tempo is up to the task this time around. "Yes, the Derby winner is a very nice horse and race a monster race under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs," Demling told SportsLine. "But I don't believe the set up of this race will be anything like it was in the Derby, which was perfect for a deep closer." Because of that, Demling is looking elsewhere for value. 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.
