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A shorter Saratoga Race Course track has once again evened the field for the running of Saturday’s 2026 Belmont Stakes. For the third year in a row, the third leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown will be run at 1 ¼ miles. The usual Belmont Park track is 1 ½ miles but it is still under reconstruction. Because of that, there are five horses at 6-1 or shorter in the 2026 Belmont Stakes odds. Claim your exclusive TwinSpires $400 signup offer here with promo code CBSSPORTS, which is higher than what’s available to the general public:
Renegade, who finished second at the Kentucky Derby after fading at the finish, is the 2-1 favorite. Chief Wallabee follows at 3-1, while Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo is at 9-2. Commandment and Emerging Market are both at 6-1. Before making any 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, be sure to see the 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions and best bets from SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling hit the top three finishers in the 2025 Kentucky Derby in the correct order. He also called 11 of the last 22 Preakness winners and predicted the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last eight years, including an exacta in 2022 with Mo Donegal and Nest. Anyone who has followed him on horse racing betting sites could be way up.
Now, with the 2026 Belmont Stakes field set, Demling is sharing his 2026 Belmont Stakes betting picks and 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions over at SportsLine. Go to SportsLine to see them.
Top 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions
One surprise in Demling’s 2026 Belmont Stakes picks: He is fading Golden Tempo at 9-2. Golden Tempo should be fresh after skipping the Preakness Stakes, but Demling said it will be hard for the colt to replicate what he did at Churchill Downs. At the Kentucky Derby, Golden Tempo rallied from the back of the pack to win the race.
Demling doesn’t see that as a possibility this time around. “Yes, the Derby winner is a very nice horse and race a monster race under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs,” Demling told SportsLine. “But I don’t believe the set up of this race will be anything like it was in the Derby, which was perfect for a deep closer.” See which horses to back at SportsLine.
Claim your exclusive TwinSpires $400 signup offer here with promo code CBSSPORTS, which is higher than what’s available to the general public:
How to make 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, bets
Demling is especially high on an epic double-digit longshot who a legendary trainer is “very high on.” Anyone who backs this sleeper pick could hit it big. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Belmont Stakes leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Belmont Stakes 2026, and which stunning longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Belmont Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s picks for the Belmont Stakes, all from the expert who has nailed four of the last eight winners.
