On Monday afternoon, the post positions for the 158th running of the Belmont Stakes were drawn from Saratoga. The third leg of the Triple Crown will be run on Saturday at a little after 7pmET from Saratoga, as Belmont Park is still undergoing construction.
In last year’s Belmont, Journalism was the 8-5 favorite, just ahead of 2-1 Sovereignty.
The surprise winner of the Preakness Stakes was Napolean Solo, but his trainer, Chad Summers, is holding him out of the Belmont, while eyeing the Haskell Stakes in July.
There are just nine horses in this race, but the biggest news is that Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo is back after skipping the Preakness. He drew the ninth position and is 9-2.
More Derby horses are running in Belmont, including Renegade, Commandment, Chief Wallabee, and Emerging Market. Renegade is the favorite at 2-1, while Chief Wallabee is second at 3-1, at least in the opening odds.
Renegade rallied from the rail in the Kentucky Derby and appeared to be on his way to winning the Run for the Roses. But Golden Tempo’s last run made Cherie DeVaux the first woman to ever train a winner of the Kentucky Derby.
This race will be 10 furongs (1 1/4 miles), unlike the 12 furlongs (1 1/2 miles) of Belmont Park. The Belmont Stakes used to be known as the “Test of the Champions”. But with the shorter distance, early position and tactical speed could matter more in this race than at the traditional Belmont.
2026 Belmont Stakes Post Positions
PP Horse Odds Trainer Jockey Owner
| 1 | Vitruvian Man | 30-1 | Doug O’Neill | Antonio Fresu | Glenn Sorgenstein WC Racing Inc. |
| 2 | Powershift | 12-1 | Todd Pletcher | Luis Saez | Repole Stable, Liberty Road Stables |
| 3 | Chief Wallabee | 3-1 | Bill Mott | Junior Alvarado | Michael and Katherine G. Ball |
| 4 | Renegade | 2-1 | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Robert and Lawana L. Low and Repole Stable |
| 5 | Ottinho | 20-1 | Chad Brown | Dylan Davis | Three Chimneys Farm (Goncalo B. Torrealba) |
| 6 | Growth Equity | 12-1 | Chad Brown | Manuel Franco | Klaravich Stables Inc. |
| 7 | Commandment | 6-1 | Brad Cox | John Velazquez | Wathnan Racing |
| 8 | Emerging Market | 6-1 | Chad Brown | Flavien Prat | Klaravich Stables Inc. |
| 9 | Golden Tempo | 9-2 | Cherie DeVaux | Jose Ortiz | Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable |
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