2026 Belmont Stakes Results
Golden Tempo won the 158th Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 6 at Saratoga Race Course. The Kentucky Derby winner skipped the Preakness, returned fresh, and rallied from last to first under José Ortiz to win by 1½ lengths in 2:03.49 at the Saratoga-shortened 1¼ miles. Commandment finished second and betting favorite Renegade third. Full results, payouts, and how to bet year-round racing from Kentucky below.
How the Belmont Was Won
Golden Tempo broke awkwardly and was last of nine early, leaving José Ortiz to ride a patient, ground-saving trip. Commandment took control turning for home, but Golden Tempo angled out at the top of the stretch and quickened past the field in the final furlong. The Derby-replay narrative held: three of the top four were Kentucky Derby returners.
Golden Tempo
Kentucky Derby winner who skipped the Preakness and returned fresh. Stumbled at the break from post 9, settled at the back of the nine-horse field, then rallied last-to-first under José Ortiz to win by 1½ lengths in 2:03.49. Trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win two Triple Crown legs in the same year.
Commandment
A fresh shooter who skipped the Preakness to point for the Belmont. Took control turning for home before Golden Tempo ran him down in the final furlong.
Renegade
Kentucky Derby runner-up and the betting favorite. Kept on for third but never seriously threatened the winner.
Chief Wallabee
Fourth in the Derby and fourth again at Saratoga; the closing kick never fully materialized at the shortened 1¼ miles.
Payouts
📋 No Triple Crown on the Line
Napoleon Solo, the 2026 Preakness Stakes winner, skipped the Belmont to point toward the Haskell Stakes. With the Derby and Preakness winners taking divergent paths, the 2026 Belmont was a Derby-rematch rather than a Triple Crown showdown; Golden Tempo leaves the classic season two-for-two in the legs he entered.
Every Belmont Bet Explained
Belmont pools mirror Derby pools structurally but the smaller field (8-14 horses vs 20) changes the math. Exactas and trifectas are far more handicappable; Win prices on favorites are typically shorter.
Win
Min $2Pick the horse to finish first. Smaller fields than the Derby make favorites more likely; longshot Win prices rarely match the 23-1 type of Derby payout.
Place
Min $2Top 2 finish. Sharper hit rate than Win with the smaller Belmont field.
Show
Min $2Top 3 finish. Highest hit rate, smallest payout.
Exacta
Min $1Top two in exact order. Common Belmont wager since field is small enough to handicap top two with conviction.
Trifecta
Min $0.50Top three in exact order. Belmont fields of 8-12 make trifectas more handicappable than the 20-horse Derby field.
Superfecta
Min $0.10Top four in exact order. Reduced field means lower base ticket cost than the Derby superfecta.
Belmont Stakes Daily Double
Min $1Pair the Belmont winner with the winner of the preceding stakes race.
Belmont Pick 5
Min $0.50Pick winners of five consecutive stakes races on Belmont Day. Mandatory payout structure; carryover-style jackpots possible.
Best Apps for Belmont Stakes Betting
Horse racing runs on pari-mutuel pools, separate from traditional sportsbooks. These five apps handle Belmont Stakes wagering with full pool access from Kentucky.
TwinSpires
Best OverallOfficial ADW partner of Churchill Downs but offers full Belmont coverage. Pools, props, and live racing through Belmont Day.
FanDuel Racing
Best RebatesPari-mutuel wagering integrated with FanDuel app. Belmont Day rebates frequently exceed Derby Day rates.
TVG / FanDuel TV
Best StreamingLive streaming of all Belmont Stakes Racing Festival races. Owned by FanDuel.
DraftKings Horse Racing
Best PromosStandalone DK Horse app. Profit boosts on Belmont Day for Win and exacta wagers.
NYRA Bets
Best for NY TracksOfficial NYRA ADW platform. Highest rebates on NYRA tracks; bettors with NYRA Bets accounts get full Belmont Stakes Racing Festival coverage.
Belmont Handicapping vs Derby Handicapping
The Belmont rewards a completely different skill set than the Derby. Here is what changes when you handicap a 1¼-mile Saratoga test with a 10-horse field.
📏 Distance Specialists
Even at the temporarily shortened 1¼ miles, the Belmont rewards stamina pedigree. Horses with successful older relatives at 9-10 furlongs hit higher than sprint-bred runners. Check pedigree tools at TwinSpires or Equibase.
🐎 Smaller Field, Sharper Favorites
Derby favorites at 4-1 become Belmont favorites at 6-5 or 7-5. The 23-1 Golden Tempo Derby payout will not be matched in Belmont Win pools. Value lives in exotic structures, not single Win bets.
🏁 Saratoga Surface
Saratoga\'s dirt main track plays slightly different than Churchill Downs. Pace is typically more honest (less wild speed) and inside posts have less of a traffic problem than at the wider Derby track.
📅 Five Weeks of Rest
Derby returners have had five weeks off, longer than the typical Preakness gap. Sharp bettors check workout reports and final-prep gallops. Trainers who excel with five-week layoff returners get the bump.
💰 Belmont Day Pick 5
The Belmont Pick 5 covers five consecutive stakes races on Belmont Day and frequently posts mandatory payouts in the high six figures. For volume bettors, the Pick 5 is where the day\'s biggest score lives, not the Belmont Stakes itself.
🎯 Live Betting Late Action
ADW apps support late-cycle wagering up to two minutes before post. Final-flash odds movement is often sharper than morning numbers; serious bettors hold off until the gates begin loading to commit.
2026 Belmont Stakes FAQ
Who won the 2026 Belmont Stakes?
Golden Tempo won the 158th Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 6, 2026 at Saratoga Race Course. The Kentucky Derby winner, sent off at 6-1 under José Ortiz for trainer Cherie DeVaux, rallied from last to first to win by 1½ lengths in 2:03.49. Commandment finished second and betting favorite Renegade third.
What were the 2026 Belmont Stakes payouts?
Golden Tempo paid $14.00 to win, $7.32 to place, and $3.88 to show on a $2 base. The $2 exacta (9-7) returned $111.34, the $1 trifecta (9-7-4) paid $102.64, and the $1 superfecta (9-7-4-3) paid $237.98.
Why was the 2026 Belmont Stakes run at Saratoga?
Belmont Park is undergoing major renovation. The 2024, 2025, and 2026 Belmont Stakes were all held at Saratoga Race Course, with 2026 expected to be the third and final year at Saratoga before Belmont Park reopens in fall 2026. The Saratoga track is shorter than the traditional Belmont Park layout, which is why the race distance was temporarily reduced to 1¼ miles.
How long was the 2026 Belmont Stakes?
The 2026 Belmont Stakes was run at 1¼ miles (10 furlongs, the same distance as the Kentucky Derby), shorter than the traditional 1½ miles, because Saratoga's main track cannot accommodate the full 12-furlong distance. The race is expected to return to the full 1½ miles in 2027 when Belmont Park reopens.
Did the Kentucky Derby winner win the Belmont?
Yes. Golden Tempo, who won the Kentucky Derby on May 2 and then skipped the Preakness, returned fresh to win the Belmont. Trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win two Triple Crown legs in the same year. Renegade (Derby runner-up) was third and Chief Wallabee (Derby 4th) was fourth.
Did Napoleon Solo run in the Belmont Stakes?
No. Preakness Stakes winner Napoleon Solo skipped the Belmont to point toward the Haskell Stakes, so the field did not feature the 2026 Preakness winner. With Golden Tempo not Triple-Crown-eligible (a Derby winner who skipped the Preakness), the 2026 Belmont was a Derby-rematch story rather than a Triple Crown showdown.
Can I bet the Belmont Stakes from Kentucky?
Yes. Kentucky residents and visitors can bet the Belmont and year-round racing through licensed advance deposit wagering (ADW) apps such as TwinSpires, FanDuel Racing, TVG, DraftKings Horse Racing, and NYRA Bets. Belmont pari-mutuel pools are fully accessible from within Kentucky state lines.
What was the Belmont Stakes purse?
The Belmont Stakes purse is $2 million, traditionally guaranteed, with the winner taking home approximately $1.1-1.2 million. The full Belmont Stakes Racing Festival features 19 stakes races over three days with total purses exceeding $11 million.
How many horses ran in the 2026 Belmont Stakes?
The 2026 Belmont Stakes drew a nine-horse field. Belmont fields are typically 8 to 14 horses, far smaller than the Kentucky Derby's 20-horse maximum. Smaller fields mean shorter Win prices on favorites but more handicappable exacta and trifecta structures.
Where can I see the full 2026 Belmont Stakes results?
Golden Tempo won at 6-1, Commandment was second, Renegade third, and Chief Wallabee fourth. Full charts, sectional times, and complete payout tables are published by Equibase and the New York Racing Association (NYRA) after the race.
Was there a Triple Crown winner in 2026?
No. Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby (May 2) but skipped the Preakness, ending the 2026 Triple Crown bid immediately. Napoleon Solo won the Preakness (May 16) but skipped the Belmont. The last Triple Crown winner was Justify in 2018. The 2026 Belmont was a major standalone betting event despite the absence of a Triple Crown contender.