The 158th Belmont Stakes goes to post for the final leg of the 2026 Triple Crown on Saturday. Shortened to 1¼ miles, the race sets up a fascinating rematch with several Kentucky Derby standouts. Renegade, a 2-1 morning line favorite, ran second at the Derby, taking second to Golden Tempo, who is at 9-2 2026 Belmont Stakes odds. Between them is Chief Wallabee, fourth at the Derby, at 3-1. Claim your special TwinSpires $400 signup offer here with the promo code CBSSPORTS, more than what’s available to the general public:
Nine horses are expected in the gate for the 7:04 p.m. ET post time. The distance change sets up as more of a rematch from Churchill Downs. With so much to consider while making your 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, a little expert help can go a long way.
Belmont Stakes favorites have won 44% of the 157 races, a huge number compared to other Triple Crown races. But the relatively lower number of horses, and the longer distance, often sees underdogs fade away before the finish. That reported, Belmont Stakes 2026 isn’t the longer distance.
Does the shortened distance level the playing field? Six of the last eight Kentucky Derby champions have been double-digit dogs. That could offer hope to 12-1 dark horse such as Growth Equity and Powershift.
Given all the history of the race, there’s a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Belmont Stakes like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2026 Belmont Stakes picks possible.
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 post positions set and odds on the board, Demling is sharing his picks and 2026 Belmont Stakes betting predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.
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Top 2026 Belmont Stakes expert picks
Here’s a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine’s Jody Demling:
Belmont Stakes Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $13.20 at the 2025 Belmont Stakes with Sovereignty and Journalism.
Belmont Stakes Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $13.80 at the 2025 Belmont Stakes with Sovereignty, Journalism and Baeza.
Belmont Stakes Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned a colossal $40.50 at the 2025 Belmont Stakes with Sovereignty, Journalism, Baeza and Rodriguez.
While Golden Tempo (9-2) is one of the favorites, Demling isn’t including the Kentucky Derby winner in his picks for the 2026 Belmont Stakes. “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,” Demling told SportsLine. He is building his tickets around an epic double-digit longshot who a legendary trainer is “very high on”, spicing up Demling’s 2026 Belmont Stakes exotics. You can see his picks here.
How to make 2026 Belmont Stakes bets
Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Belmont Stakes 2026. He’s sharing them over at SportsLine.
So which horses do you take, and in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling’s picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2026 Belmont Stakes.
2026 Belmont Stakes odds, futures, horses, post positions
| Post | Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitruvian Man | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 2 | Powershift | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 3 | Chief Wallabee | 3-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 4 | Renegade | 2-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 5 | Ottinho | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 6 | Growth Equity | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 7 | Commandment | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 8 | Emerging Market | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 9 | Golden Tempo | 9-2 | SEE PICKS |
