Full Breakdown
Golden Tempo Captures 2026 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga
6/8/2026, 12:26:55 AM
Race Summary
On June 6, 2026, Golden Tempo, ridden by jockey Jose Ortiz, won the 158th Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, completing a Kentucky Derby-Belmont double. The colt surged from the rear to defeat Commandment (2nd) and Derby runner-up Renegade (3rd) in a 1 ¼-mile contest run in 2:03.49. The victory made Golden Tempo the 13th horse to win both the Derby and Belmont in the same year, excluding Triple Crown winners, and gave trainer Cherie DeVaux her second Triple Crown race win.
Background & Context
The Belmont was held at Saratoga for the third consecutive year while Belmont Park undergoes reconstruction. Saratoga’s configuration shortens the classic “Test of the Champion” from its traditional 1 ½ mi to 1 ¼ mi, matching the Derby distance. Golden Tempo had skipped the May 16 Preakness Stakes to allow extra recovery time, a strategy echoed by DeVaux after the Derby.
Key Figures & Groups
- Golden Tempo – son of Curlin, owned by Phipps Stable and the Violas.
- Cherie DeVaux – trainer, first woman to win both the Derby and Belmont, second woman to win a Belmont.
- Jose Ortiz – jockey, also won the 2017 Belmont aboard Tapwrit.
- Renegade – Derby runner-up, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, entered as the morning-line favorite.
- Commandment – Brad Cox-trained colt, finished second.
- Jody Demling – SportsLine analyst who predicted Golden Tempo would struggle without a fast pace.
Data & Statistics
- Field: 9 horses (half the Derby’s size).
- Odds (varied by source): Golden Tempo listed at 9-2, 6-1, and 9-1; Renegade at 2-1 and 8-5.
- Payouts: $14 win, $7.32 place, $3.88 show for Golden Tempo; $7.02/$4.08 for Commandment; $2.52 show for Renegade.
- Fractions: early pace slower than the Derby; half-mile in ~24 sec, mile in 1:37.56.
- Final time: 2:03.49 for 1 ¼ mi.
Official Statements & Responses
DeVaux emphasized that skipping the Preakness was a “horse-by-horse, case-by-case” decision that paid off, noting the colt “needed to do this to show he was meant to win the Derby.” Ortiz said the race lacked the “setup” he expected, yet the colt “showed up” and executed a decisive move. Pletcher observed that Renegade “got a pretty good trip” but lacked the sustained run that produced his Derby performance. Demling, while skeptical of Golden Tempo’s chances, acknowledged the colt’s “monster race” in the Derby.
Criticism & Opposition
Betting analyst Jody Demling warned that the Belmont’s slower early fractions would disadvantage a deep-closer like Golden Tempo, stating, “I don’t believe the setup of this race will be anything like it was in the Derby.” His prediction that the colt would not win proved incorrect.
On-the-Ground Reports
Rain fell shortly before post time, prompting a three-minute earlier start. Spectators noted a rainbow over the track as Golden Tempo passed Commandment. Co-owner Vinnie Viola dedicated the win to the late Dominic DiPrisco.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on Golden Tempo’s exact odds (9-2, 6-1, 9-1) and Renegade’s favorite status (2-1 vs. 8-5). No official clarification on the final odds sheet has been provided.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Golden Tempo is amazing. Jose is amazing,” — Cherie DeVaux, trainer
- “We all knew that and I was a little worried about it. He needs some kind of set-up, but today there wasn’t one and he showed up.” — Jose Ortiz, jockey
- “But I don't believe the setup of this race will be anything like it was in the Derby, which was perfect for a deep closer.” — Jody Demling, analyst
- “I think he needed to do this to kind of show that he was meant to win the Derby and that he is a horse that belongs in that conversation of being one of the top three-year-olds.” — Cherie DeVaux, trainer
- “] a little bit of a run but not the same sustained run that he did in the Derby.” — Todd Pletcher, trainer
What’s Next
DeVaux’s connections have confirmed the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on August 29 at Saratoga as Golden Tempo’s next target, a race that could cement his status as the 2026 champion three-year-old.
