Golden Tempo galloped to triumph in the 2026 Belmont Stakes on Saturday, held at Saratoga Springs in New York. This victory marked the third and final leg of the Triple Crown for the horse, just a month following its triumph at the Kentucky Derby.
Ridden by jockey Jose Ortiz, Golden Tempo entered the race with 9-2 odds and powered down the stretch at Saratoga Race Course, ultimately clinching the Belmont title. The horse successfully fended off Commandment, crossing the finish line first at the iconic track.
Commandment secured the second position, while the favored contender, Renegade, finished third. With this win, Golden Tempo stands as the 13th horse to achieve victories in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes.
Although the pace of the race wasn’t as brisk as it was at Churchill Downs, Golden Tempo managed to close the gap, winning the 1 1/4-mile race with a time of 2:03.49.
This victory also marked a significant milestone for trainer Cherie DeVaux, as she became the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby champion. Furthermore, she is now the second woman to train a Belmont winner, following Jena Antonucci’s 2023 win with Archangelo. DeVaux, who hails from Saratoga Springs, started her training career at this very track.
Golden Tempo, however, did not complete a Triple Crown sweep this year, as it skipped the Preakness Stakes in Maryland on May 16.
The pace was not nearly as fast as it was at Churchill Downs, yet Golden Tempo still was able to close in time to win the 1 1/4-mile race in 2:03.49.
Golden Tempo made Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner. She also became the second woman to train a Belmont winner after Jena Antonucci in 2023 with Archangelo. DeVaux was born in Saratoga Springs and began her training career at the track.
Golden Tempo was not able to sweep this year’s series because Derby winner Golden Tempo skipped the Preakness Stakes in Maryland on May 16.
Renegade, the Kentucky Derby runner-up trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, was bet down to 8-5 after opening at 2-1 on the morning line. The rest of the money was spread out significantly, with Derby winner Golden Tempo, Chief Wallabee, Commandment and Emerging Market all 5-1.
The long shots in the field of nine were Pletcher-trained Powershift at 12-1, Growth Equity at 13-1, Ottinho at 19-1 and Vitruivian Man at 20-1.
The Belmont is being run at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York for a third and final time while its traditional home on the border of Queens and Long Island was demolished and rebuilt. The race is set to return to Belmont Park next year.
The Belmont, known as the Test of the Champion, is usually the longest of the three Triple Crown races at 1 1/2 miles. But Saturday’s race was 1 1/4 miles — the same length as the Derby — because of the configuration of the main racetrack at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.
