The third and final leg of the 2026 Triple Crown is set for Saturday, June 6, at historic Saratoga Race Course in New York, and there's no shortage of intriguing storylines to follow here. Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo (9-2) is among the favorites in the field, but it's unclear how he'll perform after skipping the Preakness Stakes coming off his incredible come-from-behind win at Churchill Downs, where he edged out Renegade, who's the 2-1 favorite at the Belmont this year. Other top contenders in the field include Chief Wallabee (3-1), Commandment (6-1) and Emerging Market (6-1). Preakness winner Napoleon Solo will not be racing this weekend. Claim your exclusive TwinSpires $400 signup offer here with promo code CBSSPORTS, which is higher than what's available to the general public:
With so many Belmont Stakes betting options available for interested horse racing bettors, which horses should you be backing in this nine-horse field? 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: Menez is fading Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo at 9-2. Golden Tempo, had an incredible worst-to-first burst at Churchill Downs, but Menez thinks it's "unlikely" that the horse will get the "sweet pace setup" that played a major role in him winning the Kentucky Derby. Golden Tempo just barely edged out Renegade in that race, and Renegade is the betting favorite for this year's Belmont Stakes. See who to back at SportsLine.
That Derby triumph is Golden Tempo's only victory over his last three starts, failing to even finish in second place in his two defeats. Menez has found better value with other thoroughbreds in this nine-horse field. 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 including these horses in his 2026 Belmont Stakes bets, and so should you. 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.
