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It’s a two of a kind for Golden Tempo.
The winner of last month’s Kentucky Derby, who sat out the Preakness Stakes and missed a shot at the Triple Crown, took home the win at the 158th Belmont Stakes in New York on Saturday.
Renegade opened as the morning line’s 2-1 favourite, similar to the Derby, followed by Chief Wallabee at 3-1 and Golden Tempo at 9-2.
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The racing post is drawn down the front stretch for a race at Saratoga Race Course. (Gregory Fisher/Imagn Images)
Saturday’s Belmont Stakes marked the third consecutive year and last year that the race took place at Saratoga Race Course in Upstate New York as Belmont Park completes renovations.
Due to the course change since 2024, the race was run at 1 ¼ miles instead of its usual mile and a half. Saratoga is home to the annual Whitney, Travers and Jim Dandy Stakes.
This year’s Belmont had no horses from the Preakness Stakes three weeks ago and only four from the Kentucky Derby in early May: Renegade, Commandment, Chief Wallabee and Golden Tempo.
A sign at Saratoga Race Course for the 2026 Belmont Stakes. (Will Waldron/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
This was also the second year in a row that the Derby winner jumped out at the Preakness to run for the Belmont. Last year, Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby before not traveling to Pimlico Race Course and then going home with the Belmont.
“We made our decision, he won today and we’re happy about that,” trainer Cherie DeVaux said after the race.
