Junior Alvarado -- 2026 Belmont Stakes Jockey Profile

Jockey Junior Alvarado won the 2025 Belmont Stakes with Sovereignty, and he returns to the spotlight in 2026 with another Bill Mott trainee: Chief Wallabee. The fourth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, he will be one of the favorites in the Belmont Stakes, set for Saturday, June 6, at Saratoga Race Course.

Originally from Venezuela, Alvarado began his riding career in his native country in 2005, before moving to the United States in 2007. His first graded victory came in 2009 with She Be Wild in the Arlington-Washington Lassie (G3) at Arlington Park; she would go on to champion juvenile filly honors that year. His first victory at the top level came the next year, also at Arlington, when he rode Eclair de Lune to victory in the Beverly D. (G1) for trainer Ron McAnally and owner Richard Duchossois, owner of Arlington Park and the widower of the race’s namesake.

Since then, it has been onward and upward for Alvarado. He has 32 Grade 1 wins going into Belmont Stakes weekend, most recently with Scylla in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. He has ridden many of Bill Mott’s marquee horses in recent years. In addition to Sovereignty and Scylla, they also include Horse of the Year and two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Cody’s Wish, Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) winner Olympiad, Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Just F Y I, and multiple Grade 1 winner and female turf division mainstay War Like Goddess.

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Junior Alvarado at the Belmont Stakes

Junior Alvarado has ridden a lot in New York, but he has only had four mounts in the Belmont Stakes before this year. Though he missed the board in his first three tries in the race, he made a huge impact in 2025. Sovereignty was perfectly prepared in his five weeks after winning the Kentucky Derby, and under Alvarado, he beat Journalism in the Belmont Stakes even more impressively than in the Run for the Roses.

Junior Alvarado in the Triple Crown

Alvarado has ridden in the Kentucky Derby seven times. His best finish came in 2025 when he rode Sovereignty to a star-making victory over Journalism and Baeza in the race. Among his other rides, his best finish was fourth. He has ridden two fourth-place finishers in the Kentucky Derby: his first-ever Kentucky Derby mount Mohaymen (2016), as well as Chief Wallabee this year.

Alvarado has ridden in the Preakness Stakes three times. His best result so far came in his first ride, when Zetterholm rallied for fourth behind I’ll Have Another in 2012. He was also fifth with Skippylongstocking in 2022 and 13th with long shot Crupper this year.

Junior Alvarado and 2026 Belmont Stakes Contender Chief Wallabee

Junior Alvarado has ridden Chief Wallabee for all four of his starts so far, and will return to the irons for the Belmont Stakes.

Chief Wallabee debuted in January at Gulfstream in a seven-furlong sprint at Gulfstream Park. He was the 5-2 second choice of eight behind another first-time starter – The Puma, who went on to win the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and finish second in the Florida Derby (G1). Chief Wallabee carried that first day, however, stalking the pace and clearing off to win by 1 ½ lengths over the favorite. It was one of those maiden races where the top two showed a clear level of quality – it was almost 10 lengths between The Puma and the rest of the field.

That maiden win put Chief Wallabee on the Kentucky Derby trail. He returned in the Fountain of Youth (G2) the next month, where he was a narrow second choice behind Commandment. That top end of the betting board looked a lot like the finish of the race. Alvarado settled Chief Wallabee early before guiding him on a sustained run. Chief Wallabee battled down the lane with Commandment but just missed, finishing second by a neck.

Next out in the Florida Derby (G1), Chief Wallabee was a bit closer to the pace, but waited a bit longer to make a run. The earlier move by Commandment ended up the winning one; he locked up with more forwardly placed The Puma and won by a nose. However, Chief Wallabee turned in another quality effort, gaining late and missing by only half a length behind the winner.

In the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Chief Wallabee made a good effort. He was significantly closer to the pace than any of the top three horses were, a trip that made sense given Chief Wallabee’s race shapes in Florida, but one that likely disadvantaged him in the end, given how well the race set up for deep closers. Yet, Chief Wallabee showed his quality and stamina, fighting along to get up for fourth, a head in front of Danon Bourbon and only three lengths behind Golden Tempo.

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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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.