2026 Belmont Stakes predictions, horses, odds, post positions: Surprising picks via elite handicapper

The 2026 Belmont Stakes has a compelling storyline at the top of the odds board, as Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo skipped the Preakness and is pointing straight to the third jewel of the Triple Crown. Standing in his way is 2-1 morning-line favorite Renegade, the Kentucky Derby runner-up who is looking to get even on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Golden Tempo rallied from last to first to win the 2026 Kentucky Derby at 30-1 odds five weeks ago, and his connections are banking on the 1 1/4-mile Saratoga layout suiting him better than the traditional 1 1/2-mile Belmont track, which is undergoing renovations. Bet the Belmont Stakes with the TwinSpires promo code CBSSPORTS and get an exclusive $400 bonus, double the regular offer:

>The 2026 Belmont Stakes post time is approximately 7:04 p.m. ET. The 2026 Belmont Stakes field also includes Chief Wallabee (3-1), Commandment (6-1), and Emerging Market (6-1) among the single-digit favorites. Before making any 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, you'll want to see the 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions from SportsLine's Michelle Yu.

>She started off 2025 by correctly going all-in on Citizen Bull to win the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and she also predicted Forever Young's win in the Saudi Cup, Journalism's win in the San Felipe Stakes, Sandman's win in the Arkansas Derby and Mindframe's win in the Churchill Downs Stakes. She also hit the exacta in the 2025 Kentucky Derby. In August she hit the Fierceness-Journalism exacta in the Pacific Classic, and in March 2026 she nailed the Renegade-Silent Tactic-Taptastic trifecta in the Arkansas Derby.

>Now, with the 2026 Belmont Stakes post positions set and odds on the board, Yu is sharing her 2026 Belmont Stakes betting picks and 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions over at SportsLine. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.

>One surprise: Yu is fading Chief Wallabee at 3-1, one of the premier Belmont Stakes 2026 contenders. Yu points to a troubling trend that has followed Chief Wallabee in every major race of his career since he broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park in January. He ran second in the Fountain of Youth, third in the Florida Derby, and fourth in the 2026 Kentucky Derby.

>"He is one of those horses everyone keeps waiting to put it all together," Yu told SportsLine. "Each time he steps up in class, he runs well enough to look like he belongs, but he never quite delivers the big punch you need to win at this level. Finishing fourth in the Derby after a rough trip gives him an excuse, but I keep waiting for him to break through, and he has not done it yet. I am moving on." See which other 2026 Belmont Stakes horses to back at SportsLine.

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>Instead, Yu's top pick is a horse who should be "effective" regardless of the pace. She's also high on a massive double-digit longshot who "should sit a lovely trip." She's sharing which 2026 Belmont Stakes horses to back at SportsLine.

>So who wins the 2026 Belmont Stakes? What double-digit longshot is a must-back, and how has Yu constructed her wagers? Visit SportsLine to see Yu's picks for the Belmont Stakes, all from the Santa Anita-based racing insider who has a long history of success in the Belmont Stakes, and find out.