The 158th Belmont Stakes goes to post on Saturday, but with a fresh twist. Relocated to historic Saratoga Race Course while Belmont Park undergoes renovations, the third leg of the Triple Crown will be run at 1¼ miles, matching the Kentucky Derby distance. The nine-horse Belmont Stakes field features a strong Derby rematch. Renegade, the 2-1 Belmont Stakes 2026 odds favorite, can avenge his second-place finish at the Kentucky Derby, with Derby winner Golden Tempo in the field. Post time is set for 7:04 p.m. ET. Bet the Belmont Stakes with the TwinSpires promo code CBSSPORTS and get an exclusive $400 bonus, double the regular offer:
Renegade leads a strong group of Belmont Stakes contenders. Chief Wallabee (3-1), Golden Tempo (9-2), Commandment (6-1) and Emerging Market (6-1) are all solidly in the mix as well. Before making any 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, you’ll want to see the 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions from SportsLine’s Michelle Yu.
She started off 2025 by correctly going all-in on Citizen Bull to win the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and she also predicted Forever Young’s win in the Saudi Cup, Journalism’s win in the San Felipe Stakes, Sandman’s win in the Arkansas Derby and Mindframe’s win in the Churchill Downs Stakes. She also hit the exacta in the 2025 Kentucky Derby. In August she hit the Fierceness-Journalism exacta in the Pacific Classic, and in March 2026 she nailed the Renegade-Silent Tactic-Taptastic trifecta in the Arkansas Derby.
Now, with the 2026 Belmont Stakes post positions set and odds on the board, Yu is sharing her 2026 Belmont Stakes betting picks and 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions over at SportsLine. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions
One surprise: Yu is fading Chief Wallabee at 3-1, one of the premier Belmont Stakes 2026 contenders. Wallabee trainer Bill Mott has a long and storied history at Saratoga. His horse, Sovereignty, won the 2025 Belmont Stakes.
But Chief Wallabee has had four career races. In order, he’s finished first, then second, then third, then fourth. Perhaps more important, the horse’s speed rating has gone down, if only slightly, in all four races. That’s enough for Wu to look at other horses when choosing her top Belmont Stakes picks. See which other 2026 Belmont Stakes horses to back at SportsLine.
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How to make 2026 Belmont Stakes picks
Instead, Yu’s top pick is a horse who should be “effective” regardless of the pace. She’s also high on a massive double-digit longshot who “should sit a lovely trip.” She’s sharing which 2026 Belmont Stakes horses to back at SportsLine.
So who wins the 2026 Belmont Stakes? What double-digit longshot is a must-back, and how has Yu constructed her wagers? Visit SportsLine to see Yu’s picks for the Belmont Stakes, all from the Santa Anita-based racing insider who has a long history of success in the Belmont Stakes, and find out.
