Belmont Longshot Picks: 3 Dark Horse Bets for the 2026 Belmont Stakes

The 2026 Belmont Stakes is happening Saturday, June 6, at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. For the third and final year, the third jewel of the Triple Crown will be run at 1 ¼ miles over the Saratoga dirt, before the race makes its triumphant return to the newly rebuilt Belmont Park – and the historic 1 ½-mile distance – in 2027.

The 2026 Belmont Stakes drew a field of nine horses to battle for a place in horse racing history and a dazzling $2 million purse. Many of the top contenders are familiar faces from Churchill Downs, like Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, runner-up Renegade, fourth-place finisher Chief Wallabee, Florida Derby (G1) winner Commandment, and Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Emerging Market. No one from the Preakness Stakes presses on to the Belmont, but four new faces to the Triple Crown series join the fray here.

Horse racing markets often shift toward familiar faces from other major races. The Kentucky Derby horses will be the shortest prices, and for reasons of class and 1 ¼-mile experience, that makes perfect sense. However, your entire betting strategy cannot focus on favorites alone. Making profitable exotic bets often requires zooming in on the right long shots to play alongside, or perhaps even instead of, those shorter-priced horses.

These are three 2026 Belmont Stakes dark horses who are primed to move forward at a price.

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Belmont Stakes Long Shot Bets and Picks

Powershift (Belmont Stakes odds: 12-1 ML)

Todd Pletcher is a powerhouse in the Belmont Stakes. The more fancied of his pair is morning-line favorite Renegade, who came in a close second in the Kentucky Derby and has been tabbed as the morning-line favorite in the Belmont Stakes. Though Renegade is Pletcher’s best chance to win the Belmont, he isn’t Pletcher’s only chance to win it. Especially if speed is holding well at the Spa on Belmont Stakes day, Powershift also has a legitimate shot.

Powershift still has class to prove, as he was well beaten in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). However, that race was all the way back in March, meaning he has had three months to grow up from that. In the meantime, he returned to the track May 2, on the Kentucky Derby undercard, and broke his maiden in impressive fashion. He attended the pace before taking over in the lane, winning by 1 ¾ lengths and showing form on par with what he showed on debut when he finished a hard-fought second to fellow Belmont entrant Emerging Market.

In addition to the move forward that he took five weeks ago, his running style is also attractive. There isn’t a lot of speed in the Belmont Stakes – meaning the pace that Powershift showed in both his debut and his maiden win should put him in the mix from start to finish. Though the inside gate isn’t perfect – he’s got other possible speed drawn outside of him – that may not matter if the others decide to set back, or if Powershift is just the fastest early. With aggressive jockey Luis Saez in the irons, that has a good enough chance of happening to make him attractive at something near his 12-1 morning-line odds.

Growth Equity (Belmont Stakes odds: 12-1 ML)

Growth Equity has class to prove in the Belmont Stakes – it took him three tries to break his maiden, and then last out, he won a five-horse edition of the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) that wasn’t exactly a vintage edition. Though the race is a traditional local prep for the Belmont Stakes, Chad Brown wasn’t immediately sold on sending Growth Equity to the third jewel of the Triple Crown, waiting for the Belmont field to coalesce a bit before making his decision. However, he did decide to send Growth Equity on – something that looks like a good decision, as another step forward on his steady progression makes him competitive in the field.

Pace could also work out very nicely for him. Though he was toward the rear of a small field last out, he showed a more forward style in his one-turn mile maiden win two starts back. He didn’t stalk a particularly fast pace that day, something that suggests Powershift could get that clear lead – but he won’t be terribly far off either. The switch back to Manny Franco in the irons is also a plus, since he has gotten a more forward ride the two times he has been in the irons.

The biggest question for him is the 1 ¼-mile trip, especially since his dam side is more sprinter-miler oriented. However, he is by a solid stamina influence, Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, and trainer Chad Brown has such a touch with training horses to go long on any surface. Especially as a horse likely to stay in this double-digit long shot range, there’s enough upside to consider, particularly for exotics or spread tickets.

Ottinho (Belmont Stakes odds: 20-1 ML)

Chad Brown has three horses in this race. There’s Emerging Market, who has the most proven class but also may still be hampered by his inexperience and will be a shorter price. There’s Growth Equity, who has class questions but could get a good trip at a solid middle price.

And then, there’s Ottinho, who will be one of the longest shots on the board, and has more going for him than the other super-long shot in the field, Vitruvian Man. Vitruvian Man is a closer who needs to take a huge step up despite an unsuitable pace in front of him. On the other hand, Ottinho has to take a step up, but the pace flow could be a lot more in his favor.

He has waffled a bit between midpack styles and something more forward. But, that maiden victory at Aqueduct on December 31 showed he could take initiative if no one else showed it, and also demonstrated that he could get into a fight and come out the better horse. In a race without a lot of pace – but also a race with some very good closers who could be coming regardless – these are good tools to have in his pocket.

Furthermore, among the horses in the field who have not tried a classic distance, Ottinho has the most upside on that stretch out. He is by Quality Road out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Quiet Giant, making him a half-brother to Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Gun Runner. His three races at 1 ⅛ miles give him a solid amount of bottom for a horse making his first foray into a classic, and the combination of that pedigree and Brown’s training gives him room to move forward.

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.

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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.