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Belmont Betting: Exacta and Trifecta Picks and Predictions for the 2026 Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is coming up at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York on Saturday, June 6. The Triple Crown season closes upstate for the third and final time over a distance of 1 ¼ miles while the finishing touches are being put on the New York Racing Association’s Belmont Park rebuilding project. In 2027, the race will return to its historic 1 ½-mile distance at Belmont Park … but for now, it’s the Derby distance one more time.
The top twosome from the Kentucky Derby both bypassed the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park, instead pointing to a rematch in the Belmont. On Kentucky Derby day, Golden Tempo caught Renegade to win by a neck. However, it could be a very different picture for both of them in Saratoga – after all, the pace was swift in the Kentucky Derby, and it looks less than fiery in the final jewel of the Triple Crown.
Three other Kentucky Derby horses will join them in the Belmont Stakes: fourth-place Chief Wallabee, seventh-place Commandment, and 10th-place Emerging Market. No horses are turning around three weeks after the Preakness, but four new faces to the Triple Crown series join at this third and final stage: Peter Pan (G3) winner Growth Equity, Derby-day maiden winner Powershift, Blue Grass (G2) runner-up Ottinho, and Santa Anita Derby (G1) third-place finisher Vitruvian Man.
One of the best ways to be a part of the Belmont Stakes excitement is to bet the race at FanDuel Racing. Read on to learn how to build exactas and trifectas, and get ready to place your bets in the Belmont Stakes.
Get ready to bet on the Belmont Stakes winner with FanDuel Racing. Explore the exciting 2026 Belmont promos available on FDR. Stay updated on the Belmont Stakes odds as we approach The Test of the Champion!
New FanDuel Racing users are included in the excitement with a chance to Place your first bet of $10 on any race at any track & get $50 back in Racing Bonus!
What Are Exactas and Trifectas?
The classic win bet is just that: the bet cashes if your horse wins. Exactas and trifectas are just an extension of that: instead of betting on just the first horse to cross the wire, you are betting on the first few horses across the wire.
To cash an exacta, you need to have the first two finishers in the correct order. In a trifecta, you are betting on the first three finishers in order. These are harder to get correct than just picking a winner. However, especially in races like the Belmont Stakes with huge fields, getting them correct can lead to a huge payout.
Horse Racing Exacta and Trifecta Betting Strategies
These are the basic strategies for betting exactas and trifectas.
Straight Exacta or Trifecta: One Combination
You can bet the exacta or trifecta straight, just one sequence or two or three horses. However, this is uncommon, especially in races with fields as big as the Belmont Stakes. If you have a very strong opinion that one horse is likely to finish first and another horse is likely to finish second, a straight exacta can be the right move in a race. However, it is more common to bet multiple possible combinations, and the large payouts when a live long shot runs into the top two or three can make this a profitable strategy.
Boxed Exacta or Trifecta
The opposite of betting a single combination is by betting an exacta box or a trifecta box. In a box, you are taking a group of horses you think can finish in the top two or three and betting all possible combinations of groups of those horses finishing first or second for an exacta, or first, second, and third for a trifecta.
A box can make sense if you have a short list of horses you want to play, especially if most or all of them are long shots. But, the price escalates rapidly: for example, if you play a trifecta box, and you think there are seven horses with a chance at the top three, and you want to play every combination? There are seven possible horses who can win, then six possible horses behind each of those, then five possible horses who can be third behind those two. That’s seven times six times five – or, 210 combinations.
These are the common costs of exacta and trifecta boxes at the minimum bets offered by Saratoga Race Course:
# of horses | Exacta box combinations | $1 exacta box cost | Trifecta box combinations | $0.50 trifecta box cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 (2 * 1) | $2.00 | n/a | n/a |
| 3 | 6 (3 * 2) | $6.00 | 6 (3 * 2 * 1) | $3.00 |
| 4 | 12 (4 * 3) | $12.00 | 24 (4 * 3 * 2) | $12.00 |
| 5 | 20 (5 * 4) | $20.00 | 60 (5 * 4 * 3) | $30.00 |
| 6 | 30 (6 * 5) | $30.00 | 120 (6 * 5 * 4) | $60.00 |
| 7 | 42 (7 * 6) | $42.00 | 210 (7 * 6 * 5) | $105.00 |
| 8 | 56 (8 * 7) | $56.00 | 336 (8 * 7 * 6) | $168.00 |
Another issue with boxing exactas or trifectas is that they usually do not reflect your actual opinion on a race. A boxed bet suggests that you have a similar opinion on each horse’s chances to finish in the top two or three, since you put the same amount of money on each combination. However, if you have a horse or two who you think are more likely to finish high, or even finish in a particular spot, you are essentially wasting money by betting just as much on extremely unlikely combinations as you are on the ones that involve the horse or horses you think will run well.
Using a Key Horse in Exactas and Trifectas
You can cover multiple combinations while focusing on stronger opinions by using a key horse. A key horse is just like it sounds: they are the key to your bet, and you are leaning on them to finish in a certain position.
One way of using a key horse is by betting for a horse to finish in a particular position in your exacta or trifecta. This is most often done by keying a horse to win (“keying on top”), though you can also key a horse in second or third. For example, if a horse finishes second often, keying a horse in second in exactas and trifectas can be just the right move.
Then, you just play the other horses you think can finish in the exacta or trifecta in the other spots where you do not have your key horse. You have fewer winning combinations since the key horse has to finish in the spot where you placed them, but also, you are putting your money on your opinion about that one horse.
# of horses | Exacta key combinations | $1 exacta key cost | Trifecta key combinations | $0.50 trifecta key cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 key + 2 others | 2 (1 * 2) | $2.00 | 2 (1 * 2 * 1) | $1.00 |
| 1 key + 3 others | 3 (1 * 3) | $3.00 | 6 (1 * 3 * 2) | $3.00 |
| 1 key + 4 others | 4 (1 * 4) | $4.00 | 12 (1 * 4 * 3) | $6.00 |
| 1 key + 5 others | 5 (1 * 5) | $5.00 | 20 (1 * 5 * 4) | $10.00 |
| 1 key + 6 others | 6 (1 * 6) | $6.00 | 30 (1 * 6 * 5) | $15.00 |
| 1 key + 7 others | 7 (1 * 7) | $7.00 | 42 (1 * 7 * 6) | $21.00 |
Finally, a good middle ground between a key and a box can be a wager sometimes called a “key box.” In an exacta key box, you are wagering on a situation that has your keyed horse finishing either first or second, with any of your other horses of interest in the other spot: it’s basically two separate key bets, one keying them in first and one keying them in second. The trifecta key box works similarly, except it’s like three key bets at once: one keying them in first, one keying them in second, and one keying the horse third.
# of horses | Exacta key box combinations | $1 exacta key box cost | Trifecta key box combinations | $0.50 trifecta key cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 key + 2 others | 4 (1 * 2 * 2) | $4.00 | 6 (1 * 2 * 1 * 3) | $3.00 |
| 1 key + 3 others | 6 (1 * 3 * 2) | $6.00 | 18 (1 * 3 * 2 * 3) | $9.00 |
| 1 key + 4 others | 8 (1 * 4 * 2) | $8.00 | 36 (1 * 4 * 3 * 3) | $18.00 |
| 1 key + 5 others | 10 (1 * 5 * 2) | $10.00 | 60 (1 * 5 * 4 * 3) | $30.00 |
| 1 key + 6 others | 12 (1 * 6 * 2) | $12.00 | 90 (1 * 6 * 5 * 3) | $45.00 |
| 1 key + 7 others | 14 (1 * 7 * 2) | $14.00 | 126 (1 * 7 * 6 * 3) | $63.00 |
This can be a useful wagering structure for the Belmont Stakes, due to the closely matched field and the challenging distance. Even the best horse on the day can finish second or third due to trip trouble, and in such a large field, the risk versus reward ratio often merits the cost of covering situations in which your key horse finishes anywhere in the exacta or trifecta.
2026 Belmont Stakes Field
Now that you know the strategies for building exacta and trifecta tickets, it’s time to put that new knowledge into action! The field for the 2026 Belmont Stakes is an exciting one, a group of nine including the Kentucky Derby exacta, the Peter Pan Stakes winners, and a host of horses who have come to prove they belong on one of the biggest stages in horse racing.
This is the official field for the 2026 Belmont Stakes, including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds.
Keep in mind that the listed 2026 Belmont Stakes odds are the morning line. They are a good guide to which horses are expected to take money on Belmont Stakes day, but odds are not final until post time.
So, be ready to follow the odds all day on FanDuel and FanDuel TV, and adjust your determination of which horses offer the right value – and adjust your bets! – based on the actual betting action on race day. After all, horse racing is a game of information, so staying on top of the latest news and odds moves is one of the best ways to bet like a pro!
Belmont Stakes 2026 Contenders
When building your exacta and trifecta wagers for the last of the Triple Crown races, focus on these horses:
Belmont Stakes 2 Exacta and Trifecta Key
Commandment is the key for exotic wagers in the 2026 Belmont Stakes. Not only is he likely to provide good value in the win pool, but that should also translate to value in the exotics pools as well.
Despite winning the two deepest Kentucky Derby preps of the season, the Fountain of Youth (G2) and the Florida Derby (G1), he did not go off favored in the Kentucky Derby and even seemed to be flying a bit under the radar. He seems to be even more under the radar heading into the Belmont after he finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby, though he has excuses for that finish. He came away a little slowly, leaving him further off the pace than he typically likes to be, and then he got roughed up between horses in upper stretch, losing momentum.
Now he races in a field half the size, meaning there will be less room for chaos. The pace won’t be nearly as fast in the Belmont as it was in the Kentucky Derby, meaning it shouldn’t be too tough for him to get a nice spot a few lengths off the pace. And, the smaller field size also assuages the concern about getting caught in nearly as much traffic this time around as he did in the Kentucky Derby.
This adds up to plenty of room for improvement by a horse who has the right running style for this race. He won’t be setting the pace, but he won’t be too far behind – and he proved in the Florida Derby that he can rally into a slow pace and battle to the wire. There’s enough appeal in his pedigree to suggest that the son of Into Mischief out of Sippican Harbor, a classy daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Orb, deserves another chance at 1 ¼ miles. If he gets that better trip, his ability to battle late could mean serious trouble for the rest of the field.
More Belmont Stakes Exacta and Trifecta Contenders
Chief Wallabee also comes out of that Florida series of prep races, and he has upside out of the Kentucky Derby. In the Run for the Roses, he settled a few lengths off the pace: not right on those torrid fractions set by Six Speed, but much closer to them than any of the three horses who crossed the wire ahead of him. Since the Belmont Stakes sets up so differently, without much pace likely, the fact that Chief Wallabee will get the jump on the likes of Golden Tempo and Renegade early makes him an even bigger factor late.
Though Golden Tempo got up in the Kentucky Derby, he got the dream setup, and won’t get nearly as good a setup in the Belmont Stakes. He has an outside chance to round out a trifecta on class and stamina, but the value won’t be there on him.
On the other hand, even though Renegade is the morning-line favorite, and the likely betting favorite come post time, he has more upside. He likely gets a spot a little closer to the pace than Golden Tempo, he has been able to not just get a piece but actually win with a slower pace in front of him, and he got a more treacherous trip in the Kentucky Derby than Golden Tempo. Now Renegade has a smaller field, a better post, and less chance for chaos for prodigious Belmont winner Todd Pletcher.
Especially in the trifecta, there’s a logical argument to be made for most of the horses in the field to be among the top three finishers on a good day. The more appealing scenario to play, based on both price and pace flow, is to try and get in one of the longer shots who will be up with the pace and could be good enough to stay in the frame at the wire.
Powershift is the one with that sort of running style who has the most upside. Though he comes out of a maiden special weight race, he won that decisively. His debut – where he came close against Emerging Market – also showed that the Churchill Downs effort was not a fluke. Powershift has pedigree top and bottom to suggest he can do well at the 1 ¼-mile distance, he is tactical enough to be able to work a pressing trip if the likes of Growth Equity or even Ottinho really tries to go early…but especially since Luis Saez is taking the all on Powershift, expect a good, aggressive trip that suits this race without a lot of pace.
Exacta and Trifecta for the Belmont Stakes
Here are our recommended exacta and trifecta bets for the 2026 Belmont Stakes:
- Belmont Stakes exacta bet: Key #7 Commandment with #3 Chief Wallabee, #4 Renegade
- Belmont Stakes trifecta bet: Key box #7 Commandment with #2 Powershift, #3 Chief Wallabee, #4 Renegade
Check out our Belmont Best Bets and Predictions article for this year's race.
Frequently Asked Questions: 2026 Belmont Stakes
Who is the morning line favorite for the 2026 Belmont Stakes?
Renegade, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., is the 2-1 morning line favorite for the 2026 Belmont Stakes. Renegade draws from post position 4 in the 9-horse field. Chief Wallabee, also trained by a top conditioner and ridden by Junior Alvarado out of post 3, is the second choice at 3-1, followed by Golden Tempo at 9-2. You can bet on the Belmont Stakes morning line favorite and the full field at FanDuel Racing.
When and where is the 2026 Belmont Stakes and what time is post time?
The 158th running of the Belmont Stakes takes place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Post time for The Test of the Champion is 7:04 p.m. ET. This is the third and final year the race will be held at Saratoga while Belmont Park undergoes a full reconstruction project. The race is contested at 1¼ miles due to the configuration of Saratoga's main track, shorter than the traditional 1½-mile distance at Belmont Park. The Belmont Stakes will return to a newly reimagined Belmont Park beginning in 2027. New FanDuel Racing users can place their first bet of $10 and get $50 back in Racing Bonus ahead of race day.
How can I bet on the 2026 Belmont Stakes and are there any promotions available?
You can bet on the 2026 Belmont Stakes winner and all associated wagering markets at FanDuel Racing. Belmont Stakes odds are available across win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, and superfecta markets. New FanDuel Racing users can take advantage of a promotional offer where you place your first bet of $10 on any race at any track and receive $50 back in Racing Bonus. Additional 2026 Belmont Stakes promos are available on FanDuel Racing. The full morning line odds for all 9 horses, including the 2-1 favorite Renegade and longshots Vitruvian Man at 30-1 and Ottinho at 20-1 — are listed above. Stay updated on live Belmont Stakes odds (fanduel.com/belmont-stakes-odds) as they shift ahead of the Saturday, June 6 post time.
New to FanDuel Racing? Place your first bet of $10 on any race at any track & get $50 back in Racing Bonus. See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Racing Promos.
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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.
