Can Golden Tempo Win The Belmont Stakes?

The Triple Crown season comes to an end tomorrow afternoon, but don't call this year's Belmont Stakes an afterthought.

In fact, it might be the most interesting race of the entire series.

IT'S A REMATCH

There won't be a Triple Crown winner this year because Kentucky Derby champion Golden Tempo skipped the Preakness. But what we do get is something horse racing fans love just as much: a rematch.

TOP CONTENDERS FROM THE KENTUCKY DERBY ARE BACK!

The top horses from the Kentucky Derby are headed to Saratoga Race Course for one final showdown. Derby winner Golden Tempo is back! So is runner-up Renegade, who lost by just a neck in one of the closest finishes of the spring. Sprinkle in the likes of Chief Wallabee, Commandment, Emerging Market, and several other talented three-year-olds, and suddenly the Belmont feels like a race with some unfinished business.

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THE HORSES I'LL BE WATCHING

The horse I'll be watching most is Renegade.

If you look at what Renegade has achieved so far, it's hard not to be impressed with this beautiful, talented horse. He won the Arkansas Derby, captured the Sam F. Davis Stakes, and nearly won the Kentucky Derby! More importantly, he's been consistent. While other horses have mixed great runs along with a few disappointing ones, Renegade just keeps showing up every time the gates open.

COLD GOLDEN TEMPO DO IT AGAIN?

Of course, Kentucky Derby winners deserve respect, and Golden Tempo has already proven he can beat the favorite. The extra rest after skipping the Preakness could give him an edge as the Triple Crown season wraps up.

CHIEF WALLABEE IS PEAKING

Chief Wallabee is another horse that deserves serious consideration. He was fourth in the Derby and has quietly been improving with each race. Sometimes the Belmont is won by the horse that peaks at exactly the right time.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT COMMANDMENT

If you're building a trifecta ticket, don't overlook Commandment. He won both the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby before finishing seventh at Churchill Downs. If that Derby effort turns out to be an outlier, he could make things very interesting.

THE LINEUP

The nine horses that will be running in this year's Belmont Stakes are as follows:

1. Vitruvian Man, 30-1 MY LONG SHOT- THIS WOULD BE AN UPSET
2. Powershift, 12-1
3. Chief Wallabee, 3-1 TO SHOW
4. Renegade, 2-1 KELLY'S WINNING PICK
5. Ottinho, 20-1
6. Growth Equity, 12-1
7. Commandment, 6-1
8. Emerging Market, 6-1
9. Golden Tempo, 9-2 TO PLACE

KELLY'S PICKS

My picks? Renegade to win, Golden Tempo to place, and Chief Wallabee to show. I'll also have to bet on the long shot for an upset...Vitruvian Man with 30-1 odds.

One thing is certain: Saturday night gives these horses one final chance to make their mark on the 2026 Triple Crown season. And for racing fans like me, that's reason enough to tune in.

HOW TO WATCH THE BELMONT STAKES SATURDAY

You can watch the 2026 Belmont Stakes live on FOX Saturday afternoon and evening. Coverage begins around 3:00 p.m.3 and the actual Belmont Stakes is scheduled for 6:04 p.m.