Flavien Prat: 2026 Belmont Stakes Jockey Profile

No one has ridden the biggest races better than jockey Flavien Prat in recent years. Rarely does one of the most important races in North America happen without Prat taking the call on a good horse, and the 2026 Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 6, at Saratoga Race Course will be no different. Prat will take the call on Chad Brown trainee Emerging Market, the winner of the Louisiana Derby (G2) and the 10th-place finisher in the Belmont Stakes.

Prat has earned the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in each of the last two years. In 2024, he also set new North American records for stakes wins in a year with 82, and graded-stakes wins in a year with 56.

Prat has also been one of the leading riders at the Breeders’ Cup in recent years. He has nine wins so far in Breeders’ Cup races, including two in each of the last two years. In 2024, he won the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Sierra Leone and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf with Moira. The next year, he won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with Nysos and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint with Splendora.

Just after winning those championship races, he flew home late from Southern California back to Aqueduct, rode the Sunday card, and bagged seven wins, including six consecutive races. In short, he’s a great jockey to have in your corner, no matter when.

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Jockey Flavien Prat at the Belmont Stakes

Though the Belmont Stakes is the only Triple Crown race that Prat has yet to win, he has never been out of the superfecta in five starts in the race. In his very first Belmont Stakes in 2021, he rode Hot Rod Charlie to a runner-up finish 1 ½ lengths behind Essential Quality – and almost a dozen clear of third-place Rombauer. He also finished third in both 2024 with Sierra Leone and 2025 with Baeza, and fourth in both 2022 with We the People and 2023 with Angel of Empire.

Flavien Prat in the Kentucky Derby

Flavien Prat has been a model of consistency in the Kentucky Derby. He has been in the Run for the Roses eight times, and hit the board six of those eight times. The Kentucky Derby pays only to the top five places – and seven of the eight times Prat has ridden the race, his connections have gotten paid.

Prat won the Kentucky Derby in 2019 with 65-1 long shot Country House. Prat also had the call on second-place finisher Hot Rod Charlie two years later. He has ridden four third-place finishers: Battle of Midway in 2017, Zandon in 2022, Angel of Empire in 2024, and Baeza in 2025. He also rode Catching Freedom to a fourth-place finish in 2024. His only time out of the superfecta came with Solomini, who was 10th in 2018.

Emerging Market, Prat’s horse in the 2026 Kentucky Derby, is trained by Chad Brown. Prat rides for Brown often, but the only other time he has ridden for the barn in the Derby was with third-place Zandon in 2022.

Flavien Prat in the Triple Crown

Flavien Prat has ridden in the Kentucky Derby nine times, finding the superfecta with seven of those nine horses. He won the race in 2019 with longshot Country House. He was second at Churchill Downs two years later with Hot Rod Charlie. He has finished third in the race four times: with his first Kentucky Derby mount, Battle of Midway (2017), Zandon (2022), Angel of Empire (2023), and Baeza (2025). He also finished fourth in 2024 with Catching Freedom.

Prat has ridden in the Preakness stakes four times in his career, and never been out of the superfecta. He made it to the winner’s circle in his very first start, guiding Rombauer to an upset victory for trainer Michael McCarthy in 2021. He finished third with Catching Freedom in 2024, fourth with Goal Oriented in 2025, and a good chasing second behind Napoleon Solo this year with Iron Honor. Iron Honor is also trained by Chad Brown, trainer of Emerging Market.

Flavien Prat and 2026 Belmont Stakes Contender Emerging Market

Emerging Market has only raced three times leading into the 2026 Belmont Stakes, and Flavien Prat has been in the saddle for all three of those starts.

His on-track career began on February 7 at Tampa Bay Downs, in a one-mile, 40-yard maiden special weight on the Sam F. Davis Stakes undercard. He chased midpack, improved around the far turn, battled down the lane, and earned a game three-quarter-length victory. The top two were 13 ½ lengths clear of the rest of the field, and it earned Emerging Market a trip to stakes company.

The public had faith in the lightly-raced son of Candy Ride – and jockey Flavien Prat. Emerging Market was the 2-1 favorite in a field of nine, despite his inexperience. Once again, he delivered. He chased from midfield, made a rally into the lane, fought the more experienced Pavlovian down the lane, and hit the wire first by a head. Once again, he proved that, despite his inexperience, he knew how to fight.

Though Chad Brown usually sends such lightly-raced runners to the Preakness Stakes instead of the Kentucky Derby, Brown had enough confidence to send Emerging Market to the Run for the Roses. Even though Prat also rode Commandment to his Florida Derby victory, Prat had already committed to Emerging Market and honored that commitment. Despite all that faith in his talent, inexperience caught up with Emerging Market in Kentucky, in addition to a trip that was perhaps too close to a fast pace. He chased in range of sharp fractions, didn’t have a lot left in the lane, and flattened out to finish tenth, 7 ¾ lengths behind Golden Tempo.

Looking ahead to the Belmont Stakes, however, Emerging Market has plenty of upside. Prat returns to the irons for the third and final jewel of the Triple Crown, and without nearly as much early pace likely in the Belmont as there was in the Kentucky Derby, Emerging Market’s typical trip of settling a handful of lengths behind the pace and making his run could work out quite well, and give him a valuable jump on the deep closers in the race.

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.

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