The Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve and the Preakness Stakes are in the books, so now is the time to shift focus to the $2 million Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets June 6 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

For the third consecutive year, the Belmont Stakes will be hosted by Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York as the renovated Belmont Park nears completion. The final jewel of U.S. Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown will again be shortened to 1 1/4 miles because Saratoga Race Course, a 1 1/8-mile main track, is not set up to accommodate the traditional 1 ½-mile distance.

The marquee attraction is Golden Tempo, whose victory May 2 at Churchill Downs made Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner. DeVaux and the bay Curlin colt’s owners, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, decided to bypass the Preakness and target the Belmont Stakes. Let’s take a look at the horses under consideration for the Belmont Stakes using a tiered format.

Tier 1) The Derby Exacta

Golden Tempo, Renegade

DeVaux with Derby winner Golden Tempo (Anne M. Eberhardt/BloodHorse)

The big story coming into the 2026 Belmont Stakes will be the return of Derby winner Golden Tempo, and for good reason, but my guess is runner-up Renegade will wind up being the favorite in the June 6 classic after coming up a neck short in the run for the roses. Renegade entered the Kentucky Derby off back-to-back dominant wins in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. The bay colt by leading sire Into Mischief ran a terrific race in the Kentucky Derby despite starting from the inside post position but could not hold off the late charge of Golden Tempo and settled for second. They will be equally rested for a much-anticipated rematch. Many of the stories leading into the Belmont Stakes will be focused on Golden Tempo, history-making trainer DeVaux, and Derby-winning jockey Jose Ortiz, but my hunch is the betting public will be skeptical he can deliver another elite race given that the Kentucky Derby speed figures were underwhelming. Golden Tempo is a powerful closer who is always flying late and the 1 ¼ miles is a perfect distance, but “pace makes the race” and he’ll need some speed to set up his late rally.

Tier 2) Triple Crown Trail Standouts

Chief Wallabee, Commandment, Emerging Market, So Happy

Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher Chief Wallabee (Coady Media)

Commandment narrowly defeated Chief Wallabee in both the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes (by a nose) and the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa (by a half a length) leading up to the Kentucky Derby, so it was no surprise they received similar support from the betting public in the first jewel of the Triple Crown. Commandment finished seventh as the fourth betting choice and Chief Wallabee ran fourth as the fifth wagering choice in the 18-horse field. Chief Wallabee was beaten by three lengths after he was bumped hard in the stretch; Commandment was 5 ¼ lengths behind winner Golden Tempo after a slow start. Both profile as win candidates in a smaller, less claustrophobic Belmont Stakes field. Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby winner Emerging Market entered the Derby unbeaten in two starts and will try to bounce back from a 10^th-place finish at Churchill. Eighteen horses and 150,000-plus fans is a lot of stimulation for a 3-year-old colt in his third start, so those who liked him in the Derby probably should give him a second chance. Santa Anita Derby winner So Happy pressed a swift pace from second in the Kentucky Derby and battled gamely into deep stretch before fading late in a ninth-place finish. His tactical speed could be an advantage at Saratoga, and he should have more foundation after starts at 1 1/16 miles, 1 1/8 miles, and 1 ¼ miles.

Tier 3) The Curious Case of Ocelli

Ocelli

Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Ocelli (Eclipse Sportswire)

It sounds like the Belmont Stakes is being strongly considered by trainer Whit Beckman for Ocelli, who ran fourth in the May 16 Preakness Stakes after finishing third, beaten by only a length in the Kentucky Derby. The bay Connect colt is still a maiden, which means he has never won a race, but he’s proved competitive against the best of his generation. This would be his fourth start in nine weeks and his sixth straight start against stakes competition. Like Golden Tempo, Ocelli is a deep closer who would benefit from a fast pace to give him a shot at an elusive visit to a winner’s circle.

Tier 4) New Shooters and Familiar Faces

Chip Honcho, Growth Equity, Ottinho, Potente, Talk to Me Jimmy

Peter Pan Stakes winner Growth Equity, Withers Stakes winner Talk to Me Jimmy, and Toyota Blue Grass Stakes runner-up Ottinho all would be making their first start in a Triple Crown race in the Belmont Stakes. Growth Equity, who defeated Talk to Me Jimmy by two lengths in the May 9 Peter Pan, looks like a clear standout from that trio. Stakes winner Chip Honcho ran gamely in defeat when third in the Preakness Stakes, while San Felipe Stakes Presented by DK Horse winner Potente will try to rebound from a 12^th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. I’d be surprised if the 2026 Belmont Stakes winner comes from this tier.