Belmont Betting: Making Sense of the 2026 Belmont Stakes Odds

We have reached the third and final leg of the Triple Crown: the Belmont Stakes, coming up Saturday, June 6 at Saratoga Race Course. Though no horses are coming to the Belmont from the Preakness Stakes, five of the nine are coming into the race from the Kentucky Derby, and those horses are going to make up the top of the market.

There are virtually always horses well-bet out of a good Kentucky Derby effort who run well in the final jewel of the Triple Crown, but it’s important to make sure you’re choosing the right one. The Kentucky Derby shows class, and even stamina, especially since the Belmont Stakes will be the same distance as the Kentucky Derby was this year. But since the Belmont is set up completely differently, the result could be different as well.

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!

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What the Derby and Preakness Results Actually Tell You

With not only no Triple Crown winner possible, but no horses whatsoever coming from the Preakness Stakes to the Belmont Stakes, we will focus on the Kentucky Derby here.

The pace of the Kentucky Derby was a swift one, giving closers a dream trip. A quarter mile into the race, Golden Tempo was already 16 ¼ lengths off the pace, and Renegade was already 11 ¾ lengths off. Half a mile in, Golden Tempo lagged 17 ¾ lengths back, with Renegade 12 ¼ lengths back. The pace eventually faded, and that pair rallied to run first and second, separated by a neck.

On the other hand, consider Chief Wallabee’s Kentucky Derby trip. Instead of being a dozen or even a dozen and a half lengths off a swift pace at those first two calls, he chased much closer up: four lengths behind the leader at the first call, 5 ½ lengths off at the second. Though the trifecta horses caught him in the late stages, Chief Wallabee ran an excellent race on Kentucky Derby day: not only passing all ten horses in front of him in the first half a mile, but staying ahead of most of the horses who were well off the early pace, too.

The Belmont Favorite the Odds Are Telling You to Back

This trip in the Kentucky Derby makes Chief Wallabee the most attractive horse among the favorites in the final Triple Crown race. It comes down to pace: it wasn’t an aberration that Chief Wallabee set up closer to the front end than either Renegade or Golden Tempo; it’s just a question of his more tactical running style. Not only does tactical speed tend to play better in the Belmont than a deep-closing style, but in this Belmont field in particular, there is so little pace entered in the race that Chief Wallabee will get the right trip. At a 3-1 morning-line price with sportsbook action to back up the idea that he’ll be that price or slightly higher, he is the best among the top of the market.

There is some argument to be made for Renegade. Though the slightly longer price and the better placing in the pack makes Chief Wallabee a better bet on the win end, Renegade is a talented horse from four-time Belmont Stakes-winning trainer Todd Pletcher and two-time Belmont-winning jockey Irad Ortiz, who combined to win with Mo Donegal in 2022. Most impressively, he closed into a slow pace to win the Sam F. Davis and into a modest one to win the Arkansas Derby (G1). The Belmont Stakes is a better quality field, but that ability is worth noting and makes him not a complete toss.

The Favorites the Results Push You Off

The Kentucky Derby winner often gets overbet in the Belmont Stakes by virtue of being the Kentucky Derby winner, which is a strike against Golden Tempo (9-2 morning line). A more important strike against him is his form in the Risen Star (G2) and the Louisiana Derby (G2). He didn’t get the abject pace collapse he got in the Kentucky Derby in either of those races – and even though he made a run, he only made it up for third.

Golden Tempo’s consistency and stamina are admirable, and he isn’t a terrible choice to round out a trifecta or superfecta on a ticket that is going very skinny on top or using long shots. But, it makes him a clear-cut underlay on the win end.

How Often the Right Favorite Actually Wins the Belmont

As of the 2025 Belmont Stakes, 42.03% of favorites have won the final jewel of the Triple Crown, meaning favorites do well but are not unassailable in the race across its history.

The campaigns of top three-year-olds have changed enough since the advent of the points system leading into the 2013 Triple Crown that it makes sense to take a closer look at the trends in those more recent years. In that time, betting favorites have not always won, but they have mostly run well.

Across the last 13 editions of the Belmont Stakes, all the runnings during the point system, the favorite has won five times – a 38.46% strike rate, only slightly under the historical rate. Four more have finished second, and two have been third, meaning that 11 of the 13 betting favorites during the points system have hit the board. Only one, Exaggerator in 2016, has run worse than fourth. Though some raced in the Preakness and some did not, all of these horses made a credible run in the Kentucky Derby five weeks before the Belmont, except for Tiz the Law in 2020, because the schedule was changed due to COVID-19, and the Belmont was the first leg of the Triple Crown.

What Could Change the Read Before Post Time

With the field together and the post draw finalized, the picture is pretty clear for all of the Belmont Stakes contenders, including Chief Wallabee. The scratch of any of the late-running horses wouldn’t hurt his case from a pace perspective. However, if Renegade were to scratch Chief Wallabee would inherit favoritism – possibly even heavy favoritism. That would require looking back at the race, comparing the odds to his chances to win after the scratches, and deciding whether he still offered any win value.

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 as they shift ahead of the Saturday, June 6 post time.

Which Belmont Stakes longshots have the best chance to win?

In general, horses with the stamina to handle the distance of the race are well set, as are horses with good tactical speed. Specifically for 2026, Powershift and Growth Equity are the most live long shots because they are expected to be forward in the pack.

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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.