Trainer William I Mott has over 5,400 career wins, but he has a chance to win back-to-back Belmont Stakes titles for the first time when Chief Wallabee leaves the starting gate at the 2026 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, June 6. Mott has won two previous Belmont Stakes titles – 2010 and 2025. If he can pull off the feat, he will be the first trainer since D. Wayne Lukas (1994 to 1996) to win consecutive Belmont Stakes crowns. Woody Stephens won five in a row from 1982 to 1986.
Renegade is favored to win the 2026 Belmont Stakes at 5-2. Golden Tempo is at 7-2, while Mott’s Chief Wallabee follows at 9-2. Other favorites include Commandment (6-1), Emerging Market (8-1) and Powershift (12-1). Before making any 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, be sure to see the 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions and best bets from SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
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 field set, Demling is sharing his 2026 Belmont Stakes betting picks and 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions over at SportsLine. Go to SportsLine to see them.
Top 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions
A stunner: Demling is not backing Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo. The colt is coming off a Derby win which saw him go from last place to first in a finish for the ages. Despite that, Demling isn’t sure the Cherie DeVaux-trained horse will duplicate that magic. In fact, he sees better value elsewhere.
Golden Tempo has had a stellar start to his career. He won the MSW at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans in December, and followed that up with a win at the 2026 Lecomte in January. He slumped to third at the 2026 Risen Star in February and third at the 2026 Louisiana Derby in March. He started slow at the Kentucky Derby, before finding another gear. See which horses to back at SportsLine.
How to make 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, bets
Demling is especially high on an epic longshot who “will make a big jump” to win it all. Anyone who backs this sleeper pick could hit it big. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Belmont Stakes leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Belmont Stakes 2026, and which stunning longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Belmont Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s picks for the Belmont Stakes, all from the expert who has nailed four of the last eight winners.
