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4h ago

Belmont Stakes Moves to Saratoga for June 6 With Renegade Favored Over Golden Tempo

The race will be run at a shortened 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga because Belmont Park is under reconstruction, removing the chance for a Triple Crown this year.

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The horses break from the starting gate of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on June 7, 2025.
Golden Tempo with Jose Ortiz, left, wins the Kentucky Derby, presented by Woodford Reserve, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on May 2, 2026. (Skip Dickstein/for the Times Union)

Overview

  • Post positions and morning-line odds were finalized Monday, leaving a nine-horse field with Renegade the 2-1 favorite from post 4 and Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo listed at 9-2 from the outside post 9.
  • Golden Tempo arrived at Saratoga to train for the race after his Derby win and his connections skipped the Preakness to give him five weeks of rest before the Belmont.
  • The field includes contenders from top stables — Todd Pletcher entered Renegade and Powershift, Chad Brown has three starters, Bill Mott saddled Chief Wallabee — and several Derby runners return for the rematch.
  • The 158th Belmont Stakes will run Saturday, June 6 at 7:04 p.m. ET for a $2 million purse, will be broadcast on FOX with streaming via the FOX Sports app and other services, and will be run at 1 1/4 miles because Saratoga’s layout cannot host the traditional 1 1/2-mile distance.
  • Belmont Park’s multi-year reconstruction keeps the race at Saratoga for a third straight year with plans to return to the rebuilt Belmont Park in 2027, a change that has pushed trainers to favor rest and targeted scheduling over quick Triple Crown bids.