2026 Belmont Stakes Contenders and Analysis

The Belmont Stakes is set to go on Saturday, June  6, from Saratoga at the modified distance of 1 1/4 miles. There will be nine 3-year-olds, including five who ran in the Kentucky Derby. Renegade is the current favorite at 2-1. Let’s take a look at all the horses in this field. Starting time is around 7pmET on Saturday from Saratoga, as opposed to Belmont Park (due to construction).

(by post positions)

1)Vitruvian Man (30-1). Jockey: Antonio Fresu. Trainer: Doug F. O’Neill. Analysis: Biggest longshot. Did get third place in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). Has won just one of five starts. Has some high-profile connections with Lil Yachty and Lil Wayne.

2)Powershift (12-1). Jockey: Luis Saez. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Analysis: Another Pletcher horse. He placed sixth in the Grade Tampa Bay Derby. Jockey Saez has won the Belmont twice in the last five runnings. Is light on experience, but is the lone speed horse in the Belmont.

3)Chief Wallabee (3-1). Jockey: Junior Alvarado. Trainer: Bill Mott. Analysis: Finished fourth in the Derby. Has big-time trainer in Mott, but has limited distance experience. The longest race was the Derby at 1 ¼ miles. The Derby was his fourth start and previously he had three starts, all at Gulfstream Park. Was never more than 5 ½ lengths behind at the Derby.  

4)Renegade (2-1). Jockey:  Irad Ortiz Jr. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Analysis: The favorite because he finished in second in the Derby after a late rally. He’s also trained by Pletcher, who has won the Belmont Stakes four times. Has experience in the New York circuit. Ortiz Jr. is a strong rider and an elite jockey.

5)Ottinho (20-1). Jockey: Dylan Davis. Trainer: Chad Brown. Analysis: Has limited experience with one win in the New York circuit. Strong trainer in Chad Brown. Was runner-up in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland. Has dirt racing record of four starts, one win, one place and two shots.

6)Growth Equity (12-1). Jockey: Manny Franco. Trainer: Chad Brown. Analysis: Strong pedigree with dad being Nyquist. Has gotten better as the distances have progressed. Has beating a combined seven horses in his last two races. Is he ready to face eight horses that are of a stronger quality than he’s faced.

7)Commandment (6-1). Jockey: John Velaquez. Trainer: Brad Cox. Analysis:  Had a four-race winning streak headed to the Kentucky Derby, but that was snapped. Did not have smooth sailing, but it should help that he’s in a smaller field. Had a grueling win at the Florida Derby, and maybe that took something out of him at Churchill.

8)Emerging Market (6-1). Jockey: Flavien Prat. Trainer: Chad Brown. Analysis: Another Chad Brown entrant. He’s coming off a 10^th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. He was attempting to win the Derby in his third lifetime start, which hadn’t been done since 1883. He did defeat Golden Tempo in the Louisiana Derby.

9)Golden Tempo (9-2). Jockey: Jose Ortiz. Trainer. Cherie DeVaux. Analysis: All eyes will be on Golden Tempo, who shocked the world at 23-1. The son of Curlin was not raced in the Preakness Stakes, so he’ll have more time to recover. He also had a 95 Beyer figure, which was the lowest for a Derby winner in 30 years. Jose Ortiz is the older brother of Irad, who won the Belmont Stakes with Taprwit in 2017.