Full Breakdown
Golden Tempo Captures the 2026 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga
6/7/2026, 4:21:43 AM
Race Summary and Outcome
On Saturday, June 6, the 158th Belmont Stakes was contested at Saratoga Race Course over a shortened 1 ¼-mile distance. Golden Tempo, the Kentucky Derby champion trained by Cherie DeVaux and ridden by José Ortiz, rallied from the back of a nine-horse field to win by a length over Commandment. Renegade, the Derby runner-up, finished third, while Chief Wallabee closed fourth. The colt posted a time of 2:03.49 on a fast main track and earned a $1.2 million share of the $2 million purse, raising his career earnings above $4.6 million.
Background: Saratoga Venue and Distance Shift
Renovations at Belmont Park have moved the classic to Saratoga for the third consecutive year. The change also altered the race distance from the traditional 1 ½ miles to 1 ¼ miles—the same length as the Kentucky Derby—prompting analysts to view the Belmont as a “Derby-style” showdown rather than a stamina test.
Key Participants
- Golden Tempo – Kentucky Derby winner, homebred of Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable.
- Cherie DeVaux – Trainer; first woman to win the Derby and second to win a Belmont.
- José Ortiz – Jockey, also a two-time Belmont winner (2017, 2026).
- Renegade – Arkansas Derby victor, 2-1 morning-line favorite, trained by Todd Pletcher.
- Chief Wallabee – Bill Mott-trained, 3-1 odds.
- Commandment – Brad Cox-trained, 6-1 odds.
- Emerging Market, Growth Equity, Powershift, Vitruvian Man, Ottinho – remaining entrants.
Data & Statistics
- Post time: 7:04 p.m. ET.
- Morning-line odds: Renegade 2-1, Chief Wallabee 3-1, Commandment 6-1, Emerging Market 6-1, Golden Tempo 9-2 (some outlets listed 6-1).
- Finishing order: 1 Golden Tempo, 2 Commandment, 3 Renegade, 4 Chief Wallabee, 5 Emerging Market, 6 Growth Equity, 7 Vitruvian Man, 8 Ottinho, 9 Powershift.
- Purse distribution: $1.2 million to the winner; $14 win payout for a $2 ticket on Golden Tempo.
- Historical note: Favorites have won 44 % of Belmonts; this race featured a rare Derby-Belmont double after a skipped Preakness.
Official Statements & Responses
DeVaux emphasized the strategic rest: “We made our decision and he won today and we’re going to be happy about that.” She added that race-pace would be decisive, noting, “If there’s not a contentious pace, he should be closer, in theory. José can either get him closer earlier, or he needs to start his run earlier.”
SportsLine analysts Gene Menez and Jody Demling both advised bettors to avoid Golden Tempo, citing concerns about pace and setup. Their published projections instead highlighted a “perfect-trip” horse and a double-digit longshot as the likely winners.
Criticism & Opposition
Menez warned, “I’m going to completely toss Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, who is unlikely to get the sweet pace setup that greatly helped him win the Derby.” Demling echoed this view, stating, “I still don’t believe he’s the best of this bunch and I don’t think he gets a perfect set up here like he did at Churchill.” Nineteen Daily Racing Form experts also omitted Golden Tempo from their top picks, reflecting broad skepticism.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Odds for Golden Tempo varied: CBS Sports listed 9-2, while the New York Post and Fox News cited 6-1. Post-race finishing order differed slightly across outlets; Fox News placed Renegade fourth, whereas most sources recorded him third. No official clarification on these discrepancies was provided.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I'm going to completely toss Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, who is unlikely to get the sweet pace setup that greatly helped him win the Derby,” — Gene Menez, SportsLine analyst
- “I still don't believe he's the best of this bunch and I don't think he gets a perfect set up here like he did at Churchill,” — Jody Demling, SportsLine analyst
- “We made our decision and he won today and we’re going to be happy about that.” — Cherie DeVaux, trainer
- “If there’s not a contentious pace, he should be closer, in theory. Jose can either get him closer earlier, or he needs to start his run earlier. ... That’s going to have to be a game time decision that’s left up to him.” — Cherie DeVaux, trainer
Significance and Historical Impact
Golden Tempo’s victory makes him the 13th horse to win both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes in the same year, joining Sovereignty (2025) and a handful of past champions. DeVaux becomes the second woman to train a Belmont winner, following Jena Antonucci (2023), and the first to secure two Triple Crown legs in a single season. The race also underscores a growing pattern: Derby winners who skip the Preakness have successfully captured the Belmont, reshaping strategic considerations for future Triple Crown campaigns.
