The Belmont Stakes has often been a race of stars. It’s not often that an out-of-nowhere horse shocks the world, compared to the Kentucky Derby, that is. But the Belmont Stakes 2026, which will run at 7:04 p.m. ET on Saturday, is not the longer, more-grueling 1½ miles due to the move to Saratoga Race Course, as Belmont Park continues major renovations. It’s now 1 ¼ miles, the same as the Kentucky Derby, which lately has been rife with shocking winners. Claim your exclusive TwinSpires $400 signup offer here with the promo code CBSSPORTS, more than what’s available to the general public:
Renegade has been the favorite in Belmont Stakes odds and remains atop the board, a 2-1 morning line favorite in the 2026 Belmont Stakes odds. But four other horses are right in the mix. Chief Wallabee is 3-1, Derby winner Golden Tempo is 9-2, while fellow Derby competitors Commandment and Emerging Market are both 6-1. With so much to consider while making your 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, a little expert help can go a long way.
Saratoga has its own, established history, and it hasn’t always been the best spot for favorites. Perhaps the most notable example came more than a century ago. In 1919, legendary horse Man o’ War suffered his only career defeat in 21 races at Saratoga. The horse that shocked the world was aptly named Upset – and yes, it coined the term still used when a big underdog beats a favorite.
Given all the history of the race, there’s a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Belmont Stakes like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2026 Belmont Stakes picks possible.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling hit the top three finishers in the 2025 Kentucky Derby in the correct order. He also called 11 of the last 22 Preakness winners and predicted the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last eight years, including an exacta in 2022 with Mo Donegal and Nest. Anyone who has followed him on horse racing betting sites could be way up.
Now, with the 2026 Belmont Stakes post positions set and odds on the board, Demling is sharing his picks and 2026 Belmont Stakes betting predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.
Top 2026 Belmont Stakes expert picks
Here’s a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine’s Jody Demling:
Belmont Stakes Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $13.20 at the 2025 Belmont Stakes with Sovereignty and Journalism.
Belmont Stakes Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $13.80 at the 2025 Belmont Stakes with Sovereignty, Journalism and Baeza.
Belmont Stakes Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned a colossal $40.50 at the 2025 Belmont Stakes with Sovereignty, Journalism, Baeza and Rodriguez.
While Golden Tempo (9-2) is one of the favorites, Demling isn’t including the Kentucky Derby winner in his picks for the 2026 Belmont Stakes. “I still don’t believe he’s the best of this bunch and I don’t think he gets a perfect set up here like he did at Churchill,” Demling told SportsLine. He is building his tickets around an epic double-digit longshot who a legendary trainer is “very high on”, spicing up Demling’s 2026 Belmont Stakes exotics. You can see his picks here.
How to make 2026 Belmont Stakes bets
Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Belmont Stakes 2026. He’s sharing them over at SportsLine.
So which horses do you take, and in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling’s picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2026 Belmont Stakes.
