Belmont Stakes 2026: Expert Jody Demling

The Belmont Stakes is also known as The Test of Champions, but it won't be quite as daunting a test this year. That's because the 2026 Belmont Stakes is being held at Saratoga Race Course, as opposed to the larger Belmont Park. As a result, the Belmont Stakes 2026 is being shortened a quarter-mile to 1 1/4 miles, which is the same distance as the Kentucky Derby. Golden Tempo won the Derby and skipped the Preakness but is the headliner of the Belmont Stakes 2026 field.

Renegade finished second at the Derby, but he's atop the 2026 Belmont Stakes odds board at 2-1. Chief Wallabee (3-1), who is saddled by last year's winning trainer, Bill Mott, is next in line while Golden Tempo (9-2) is the third favorite. Before making any 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, be sure to see the 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions and best bets from SportsLine's elite horse racing expert Jody Demling .

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 field set, Demling is sharing his 2026 Belmont Stakes betting picks and 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions over at SportsLine.  Go to SportsLine to see them .

Top 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions

One notable surprise from Demling's detailed writeup at SportsLine: Golden Tempo is not part of his Belmont Stakes picks. Golden Tempo is the son of Curlin, who is a Hall of Fame thoroughbred but came up short at the 2007 Belmont. Like Golden Tempo, Curlin was coming off winning a Triple Crown race at that year's Belmont but couldn't triumph at the Test of Champions despite being the favorite. The odds are even less favorable to Golden Tempo at this year's Belmont as he failed to win his prior two races before the Derby.

The colt got all of the breaks in his win at the Kentucky Derby, but can you count on that happening again? Not according to Demling, who doesn't like Golden Tempo at these short odds. "Yes, the Derby winner is a very nice horse and race a monster race under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs," Demling told SportsLine. "But I don't believe the set up of this race will be anything like it was in the Derby, which was perfect for a deep closer."  See which horses to back at SportsLine .

How to make 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, bets

Demling is especially high on an epic longshot who "will make a big jump" to win it all. Anyone who backs this sleeper pick could hit it big.  Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Belmont Stakes leaderboard, over at SportsLine .

Which horse wins the Belmont Stakes 2026, and which stunning longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Belmont Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the Belmont Stakes, all from the expert who has nailed four of the last eight winners .

2026 Belmont Stakes odds

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

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/2026-belmont-stakes-odds-date-predictions-expert-who-called-4-of-last-8-winners-shares-horse-racing-picks/)._