The 2026 Belmont Stakes is headlined by two horses: No. 9 Golden Tempo (9-2), the Kentucky Derby winner, and No. 4 Renegade (2-1), the morning-line favorite.
Neither one of them seems all that appealing from a betting standpoint.
For Renegade, it’s all about the price.
Although Mike Repole’s contender came out of the Kentucky Derby with a bolstered reputation thanks to an impressive runner-up finish despite an awful trip, he is a 2-1 favorite in an elite field of horses and could get even shorter as the money shows up throughout the day.
A deserving favorite, for sure, but not one that will add much value to your tickets.
Golden Tempo’s price is also uninspiring after he went off at 23-1 at the Derby.
Obviously, that number will come down after a win, but this deep closer got the perfect setup at Churchill Downs with a hot pace and tons of traffic, which led to a lot of tiring horses. Full credit to him and his connections, but it’s hard to see a similar script unfolding in this field.
Instead, we’ll focus on a trio of horses that should provide more value to your exotics at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday.
2026 Belmont Stakes exactas, trifectas
Top choice: No. 8 Emerging Market (6-1)
There is a lot more than meets the eye for the 10th-place finisher at the Kentucky Derby. Emerging Market came into Churchill Downs as a trendy pick at 8-1, but lost a shoe and fell out of contention.
But the fact that he had so much support in just the third race of his career tells you that bettors believed in his ceiling, which makes sense after he won his first two starts, including an impressive victory in the Louisiana Derby.
The connections are great with trainer Chad Brown and jockey Flavien Prat, and the price should be strong since most folks will not be too keen on backing a horse that finished well behind Golden Tempo, Renegade, Chief Wallabee and Commandment in the biggest race of the year.
Use underneath: No. 3 Chief Wallabee (3-1), No. 6 Growth Equity (12-1)
Like Renegade, Chief Wallabee had quite a rocky trip at the Kentucky Derby but was able to fight through all sorts of issues to finish fourth.
He never really fell too far off the leader, either, showing that he’s a game competitor and could handle himself if he’s got to battle down the stretch to hit the board.
Get the lowdown on the Best USA Sports Betting Sites and Apps
Another Chad Brown horse, Growth Equity, makes his Triple Crown debut after a compelling showing at the Peter Pan Stakes in May. The quality of that field will be questioned, but it was still a performance that is interesting, considering the price and what would happen if Growth Equity takes a step forward.
He took that race with a stalking trip and figures to be the best long shot in this field. He’s one to use in order to add some punch to your exactas and trifectas.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
