Belmont guide: Golden Tempo, Renegade headline rematch
The 158th running of the Belmont Stakes closes out the 2026 Triple Crown on Saturday at Saratoga. A field of nine 3-year-olds was entered to run the 1 1/4-mile classic on dirt, including the top two finishers in the Kentucky Derby, Golden Tempo and Renegade. The Derby rematch has all of the steam this week, but three other Derby runners are also in the race as well as four new shooters.
All five Derby starters enter the Belmont Stakes fresh, having opted to skip the Preakness. This is the first time since 1917 that no Preakness starters will contest the Belmont Stakes, aside from 2020, when the Preakness happened after the Belmont during the pandemic year. Peter Pan (G3) winner Growth Equity and Derby day maiden winner Powershift come in off those recent wins. Ottinho and Vitruvian Man come here off 60-day-plus layoffs.
Since the Kentucky Derby, trainer Cherie DeVaux has enjoyed the historic accomplishment but kept her focus on the future with Golden Tempo.
Both Renegade and Powershift are win contenders as far as trainer Todd Pletcher in concerned. See how he mapped a plan for this race.
Florida Derby (G1) winner Commandment's performance in the Kentucky Derby was such a head-scratcher, trainer Brad Cox has to draw a line through it.
As for the new shooters, Doug O'Neill's Vitruvian Man has a notable equipment change.
The Belmont Stakes is race 13, post time 7:04 p.m. EDT.
TV coverage of the Belmont Stakes and undercard races is on FS2 beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT. The Belmont Stakes itself will be on FOX beginning at 4 p.m. EDT.
Free past performances for the Belmont Stakes are courtesy of Brisnet.
Here are the top lifetime speed figures for the Belmont Stakes entrants.
2026 Belmont Stakes lifetime top speed figures
| No. | Horse | Brisnet | TFUS* | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitruvian Man | 92 | 110 | 107 |
| 2 | Powershift | 98 | 110 | 119 |
| 3 | Chief Wallabee | 103 | 116 | 132 |
| 4 | Renegade | 98 | 118 | 121 |
| 5 | Ottinho | 93 | 109 | 113 |
| 6 | Growth Equity | 94 | 115 | 116 |
| 7 | Commandment | 103 | 117 | 123 |
| 8 | Emerging Market | 102 | 112 | 121 |
| 9 | Golden Tempo | 100 | 116 | 116 |
*TimeformUS speed figures are provided courtesy of Daily Racing Form.
HRN Handicappers
Check out the Hard-Core Handicappers as they take on the Belmont Stakes. The Ron Flatter Racing Pod features Caton Bredar, HRN's Ed DeRosa and Mark Midland and Ron Flatter.
HRN's writers have spent most of the past three weeks thinking about this race. See who they like and who is not on any of their tickets.
HorseCenter's Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman talk Belmont and Met Mile and have all-stakes Pick 3 tickets to share.
The Ron Flatter Pod has as many humans as horses in the Belmont on the show this week. Get the scoop on all the action at Saratoga from Chris Fallica, Andy Serling, Todd Pletcher, Cherie DeVaux, Brad Cox, David Levitch, John Cherwa, Keith Nelson and, oh yeah, Ron Flatter! Listen here.
Speaking of Cherie DeVaux, her best chance at a win this weekend could be in the Woody Stephens (G1).
HRN's Ed DeRosa has Met Mile and Belmont Stakes fair odds.
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