As if the sports calendar isn’t flooded enough — NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Final, French Open, MLB, WNBA and a massive World Cup on the doorstep — the final leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown has arrived as well. Although there’s not a Triple Crown winner at stake, there’s still plenty of interest in Belmont Stakes odds ahead of Saturday’s race at Saratoga, which will be broadcast on FOX. Johnny Avello, renowned horse race oddsmaker and DraftKings director of race and sports, serves up his insights on the return of Kentucky Derby 1-2 finishers Golden Tempo and Renegade, among others. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Golden Again? Golden Tempo was the surprise winner of the Kentucky Derby on May 2. Jockey Jose Ortiz guided Golden Tempo, at 23/1 odds, from worst to first in the 19-horse field. Golden Tempo edged Renegade at the wire in a battle of sibling jockeys, with Ortiz’s brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., aboard the runner-up. Golden Tempo trainer Cherie DeVaux then opted to skip the Preakness Stakes, meaning that for the eighth straight year, a Triple Crown was not possible. Five weeks later, Golden Tempo is back, drawing the ninth post in a nine-horse field for Saturday’s 1¼-mile race, with post time set for 7:04 p.m. ET. It’s the final year of Saratoga’s three-year stint hosting the Belmont Stakes while Belmont Park undergoes renovations. But the Derby winner isn’t the favorite in the 2026 Belmont Stakes odds, sitting as the 9/2 third choice on the morning line. “Golden Tempo is a good horse who probably had a nice setup in the Derby,” Avello said. “The numbers from the race came in slow. That’s not always the be-all, tell-all — 3-year-olds often improve over time. “But from what I’ve seen so far, I’m not sure that Golden Tempo is the right horse for this race.” Avello outlined a couple of reasons for that opinion. “Some of the horses Golden Tempo ran against in the Derby went off at single-digit odds and were perceived to be better horses,” he said. “But the Derby is a difficult race to run. You have to overcome too many horses and too much potential trouble. “This race has fewer horses and less potential for trouble. I think a different horse will win the Belmont.” Does Renegade Have It Made? That horse could be Renegade, who is also fresh after skipping the Preakness. As of Thursday afternoon, Renegade sat as the 2/1 favorite after drawing the fourth post. Chief Wallabee, who finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby, is right next to Renegade in the third gate and is the 3/1 second choice in Belmont Stakes ML odds. Chief Wallabee also skipped the Preakness, as did the other two Derby runners in Saturday’s field: Commandment and Emerging Market, both listed at 6/1 on the ML. “Renegade is gonna be the favorite at post time,” Avello said. “Chief Wallabee ran a good race in the Derby, and prior to that had a first-, second-, and third-place finish. Chief Wallabee and Renegade are pretty close. “I could see Renegade taking the most money of any horse. But I kind of like Chief Wallabee a little.” Avello also noted that Commandment had won four straight races heading into the Kentucky Derby. And as for Emerging Market? “Emerging Market could be a wiseguy bet in the race,” Avello said. Dark Horse If you’re looking for a more under-the-radar play with a better potential payout, Avello has one in mind at 12/1. “Growth Equity has won his last two races,” Avello said. “This race is a little farther than he’s run before. But if he breaks well, there’s a chance he could steal this race. “If any long shot has a chance to surprise, I think he’d be the one.” Growth Equity, who will break from the sixth gate on Saturday, has the third-longest ML odds. He is joined at 12/1 by Powershift. Ottinho is 20/1, and Vitruvian Man is 30/1. Read More
2026 Belmont Stakes Odds: ‘I’m Not Sure Golden Tempo Is the Right Horse’
As if the sports calendar isn’t flooded enough — NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Final, French Open, MLB, WNBA and a massive World Cup on the doorstep — the final leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown has arrived as well. Although there’s not a Triple Crown winner at stake, there’s still plenty of interest in Belmont Stakes odds ahead of Saturday's race at Saratoga, which will be broadcast on FOX. Johnny Avello, renowned horse race oddsmaker and DraftKings director of race and sports, serves up his insights on the return of Kentucky Derby 1-2 finishers Golden Tempo and Renegade, among others. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Golden Again? Golden Tempo was the surprise winner of the Kentucky Derby on May 2. Jockey Jose Ortiz guided Golden Tempo, at 23/1 odds, from worst to first in the 19-horse field. Golden Tempo edged Renegade at the wire in a battle of sibling jockeys, with Ortiz’s brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., aboard the runner-up. Golden Tempo trainer Cherie DeVaux then opted to skip the Preakness Stakes, meaning that for the eighth straight year, a Triple Crown was not possible. Five weeks later, Golden Tempo is back, drawing the ninth post in a nine-horse field for Saturday’s 1¼-mile race, with post time set for 7:04 p.m. ET. It’s the final year of Saratoga’s three-year stint hosting the Belmont Stakes while Belmont Park undergoes renovations. But the Derby winner isn’t the favorite in the 2026 Belmont Stakes odds, sitting as the 9/2 third choice on the morning line. "Golden Tempo is a good horse who probably had a nice setup in the Derby," Avello said. "The numbers from the race came in slow. That’s not always the be-all, tell-all — 3-year-olds often improve over time. "But from what I’ve seen so far, I’m not sure that Golden Tempo is the right horse for this race." Avello outlined a couple of reasons for that opinion. "Some of the horses Golden Tempo ran against in the Derby went off at single-digit odds and were perceived to be better horses," he said. "But the Derby is a difficult race to run. You have to overcome too many horses and too much potential trouble. "This race has fewer horses and less potential for trouble. I think a different horse will win the Belmont." Does Renegade Have It Made? That horse could be Renegade, who is also fresh after skipping the Preakness. As of Thursday afternoon, Renegade sat as the 2/1 favorite after drawing the fourth post. Chief Wallabee, who finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby, is right next to Renegade in the third gate and is the 3/1 second choice in Belmont Stakes ML odds. Chief Wallabee also skipped the Preakness, as did the other two Derby runners in Saturday’s field: Commandment and Emerging Market, both listed at 6/1 on the ML. "Renegade is gonna be the favorite at post time," Avello said. "Chief Wallabee ran a good race in the Derby, and prior to that had a first-, second-, and third-place finish. Chief Wallabee and Renegade are pretty close. "I could see Renegade taking the most money of any horse. But I kind of like Chief Wallabee a little." Avello also noted that Commandment had won four straight races heading into the Kentucky Derby. And as for Emerging Market? "Emerging Market could be a wiseguy bet in the race," Avello said. Dark Horse If you’re looking for a more under-the-radar play with a better potential payout, Avello has one in mind at 12/1. "Growth Equity has won his last two races," Avello said. "This race is a little farther than he’s run before. But if he breaks well, there’s a chance he could steal this race. "If any long shot has a chance to surprise, I think he’d be the one." Growth Equity, who will break from the sixth gate on Saturday, has the third-longest ML odds. He is joined at 12/1 by Powershift. Ottinho is 20/1, and Vitruvian Man is 30/1. Read More
