2026 Belmont Stakes Rematch: Golden Tempo vs. Renegade

The Belmont Stakes happens Saturday, June 6, at Saratoga Race Course – for one last year, the final Triple Crown race is being run upstate while construction on the new Belmont Park finishes.

The most eagerly anticipated rematch in the field is the one between Golden Tempo and Renegade. For one, they were the 1-2 finishers in the Kentucky Derby, with Golden Tempo catching Renegade to win by just a neck. But, the rivalry has other dimensions than that. Their jockeys are brothers: Jose Ortiz rides Golden Tempo, while Irad Ortiz, Jr. – his older brother by a year – rides Renegade. Golden Tempo is trained by Cherie DeVaux, the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby, and a trainer who has only been out on her own since 2018. On the other hand, Todd Pletcher has had his own barn for thirty years, is already in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, and has two Kentucky Derby wins, four Belmont Stakes wins, and four Kentucky Oaks wins to his name.

Get ready to bet on the Belmont Stakes winner with FanDuel Racing. Explore the exciting 2026 Belmont promos available on FDR. Stay updated on the Belmont Stakes odds as we approach The Test of the Champion!

New FanDuel Racing users are included in the excitement with a chance to Place your first bet of $10 on any race at any track & get $50 back in Racing Bonus!

Renegade vs. Golden Tempo Rivalry

Kentucky Derby Matchup

Coming into the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2, Renegade was one of the most talked-about contenders. He won the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn in impressive fashion and was named the morning-line favorite for the Run for the Roses. He was also in conversation because of his rail post, traditionally a poor one in the Kentucky Derby because of all the traffic and chaos that can spoil a trip from the rail gate.

Golden Tempo, on the other hand, came into the race fairly unsung. He had never run a bad race across his four outings, all at Fair Grounds. He broke his maiden on debut and followed up with a victory in the Lecomte, but was third behind Paladin in the Risen Star (G2) and then third behind Emerging Market in the Louisiana Derby (G2). He was also one of a host of horses to draw wide in the Kentucky Derby, not a particularly notable post for a deep closer who can just drop back and let the race happen, without hustling to save early ground.

One thing they did have in common, however, was their running style. Golden Tempo was a confirmed deep closer, always settling in or close to last early and making a run in the lane. Though Renegade could sit a little closer to midpack, he never did his best work racing anywhere near the pace.

Given their running styles, the news on paper was good: there was a lot of pace in the Kentucky Derby, with multiple horses who needed to be on the front to do their best work, and others with tactical speed. The Kentucky Derby doesn’t always favor horses with a closing style, but with that much pace drawn in, a horse who could handle a 1 ¼-mile race and do their best running late would be well set.

That described both Golden Tempo and Renegade perfectly. Not only did they both have the right running style, but they were both bred for long races. Golden Tempo is a son of Curlin out of a Bernardini mare – both his sire and damsire were not only Preakness Stakes winners but also proven stamina influences. His dam is the mare Carrumba, from a deep Phipps family and herself a Grade 3 winner at 1 ⅛ miles on dirt. Renegade is by Into Mischief, sire of three Kentucky Derby winners, out of Spice Is Nice – a Curlin daughter who was also a Grade 3 winner at 1 ⅛ miles on the dirt.

The pace set up as expected, and the stamina in their pedigrees showed up as both horses’ connections must have hoped. Both Golden Tempo and Renegade came running down the stretch. It turned out the last run was the best run, though, and Golden Tempo hit the wire a neck ahead of Renegade. Cherie DeVaux became the first woman trainer to make it to the Kentucky Derby winners’ circle, and Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz, Jr. became the first brothers to run 1-2 in the Kentucky Derby.

Saratoga Race Course

Though all reports indicate that both Golden Tempo and Renegade came out of the Kentucky Derby well, both horses bypassed the Preakness at Laurel Park on May 16, and were deliberately trained for this rematch in Saratoga Springs five weeks later.

There isn’t a lot of form to tell how they will handle the course at Saratoga. Golden Tempo hasn’t raced there at all – Golden Tempo’s victory in the Kentucky Derby came in his first start outside of Churchill Downs. Renegade has raced once there, but it was a well-beaten third on debut in a sprint race, behind a horse who won by an eye-popping margin that day but has yet to run back to it, so it’s hard to infer from that effort how well Renegade handles the track.

Both winners of the Belmont during its two-year stint in Saratoga have shown tactical speed. In 2024, Dornoch hounded the early pace set by Seize the Grey and then had enough left to hold off Mindframe in the late stages. In 2025, Sovereignty eschewed the deep-closing style he had in the Kentucky Derby, instead tracking in closer range of pacesetter Rodriguez before making his run in the lane and outfinishing Journalism through the final furlong.

Without as much pace likely in the Belmont as there was in the Kentucky Derby five weeks before, shaking up their running style and showing a little more tactical pace could be the key to a big score on Belmont Stakes day for either Golden Tempo or Renegade. However, the 1 ¼-mile distance of this year’s edition of the Belmont should still suit them very well, meaning this could be an exciting second phase of a promising horse racing rivalry.

Frequently Asked Questions: 2026 Belmont Stakes

Who is the morning line favorite for the 2026 Belmont Stakes?

Renegade, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., is the 2-1 morning line favorite for the 2026 Belmont Stakes. Renegade draws from post position 4 in the 9-horse field. Chief Wallabee, also trained by a top conditioner and ridden by Junior Alvarado out of post 3, is the second choice at 3-1, followed by Golden Tempo at 9-2. You can bet on the Belmont Stakes morning line favorite and the full field at FanDuel Racing.

When and where is the 2026 Belmont Stakes and what time is post time?

The 158th running of the Belmont Stakes takes place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Post time for The Test of the Champion is 7:04 p.m. ET. This is the third and final year the race will be held at Saratoga while Belmont Park undergoes a full reconstruction project. The race is contested at 1¼ miles due to the configuration of Saratoga's main track, shorter than the traditional 1½-mile distance at Belmont Park. The Belmont Stakes will return to a newly reimagined Belmont Park beginning in 2027. New FanDuel Racing users can place their first bet of $10 and get $50 back in Racing Bonus ahead of race day.

How can I bet on the 2026 Belmont Stakes and are there any promotions available?

You can bet on the 2026 Belmont Stakes winner and all associated wagering markets at FanDuel Racing. Belmont Stakes odds are available across win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, and superfecta markets. New FanDuel Racing users can take advantage of a promotional offer where you place your first bet of $10 on any race at any track and receive $50 back in Racing Bonus. Additional 2026 Belmont Stakes promos are available on FanDuel Racing. The full morning line odds for all 9 horses, including the 2-1 favorite Renegade and longshots Vitruvian Man at 30-1 and Ottinho at 20-1 — are listed above. Stay updated on live Belmont Stakes odds (fanduel.com/belmont-stakes-odds) as they shift ahead of the Saturday, June 6 post time.

New to FanDuel Racing? Place your first bet of $10 on any race at any track & get $50 back in Racing Bonus. See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Racing Promos.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.