2026 Belmont Stakes: Results, payouts, order of finish for Golden Tempo’s victory
The Kentucky Derby winner also won the final Triple Crown race of 2026 on Saturday.
Olivia Bennett 
Golden Tempo has etched his name in racing history, becoming the second horse to pull off the rare feat of winning the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes while bypassing the Preakness Stakes. The colt joined last year’s champion, Sovereignty, in achieving this unconventional Triple Crown path on Saturday.
A Triple Crown Thriller
In a performance reminiscent of the Kentucky Derby, Golden Tempo once again edged out the morning-line favorite, Renegade, down the stretch. The race saw a dramatic finish with Kentucky Derby seventh-place finisher Commandment pressing between the two leaders at the wire.
The atmosphere at Saratoga Race Course was tense, as rain began to fall just as the horses approached the gate. A moderate pace was set by Powershift, while the 13-1 long shot Growth Equity held the lead heading into the stretch. However, the final turn triggered an explosive charge from the trio of Golden Tempo, Commandment, and Renegade, who blew past Chief Wallabee to decide the outcome in the final burst.
The Finish and Payouts
Golden Tempo secured the victory by 1.25 lengths over Commandment. Here is how the 158th Belmont Stakes finished:
- Golden Tempo
- Commandment
- Renegade
- Chief Wallabee
- Emerging Market
- Growth Equity
- Vitruvian Man
- Ottinho
- Powershift
Betting markets reflected the competitive field. As the 6-1 second choice, Golden Tempo paid $14 to win, $7.32 to place, and $3.88 to show. Commandment, also at 6-1, returned $7.02 to place and $4.08 to show, while the 8-5 betting favorite, Renegade, paid $2.52 to show. The $1 exacta returned $55.67, the $1 trifecta paid $102.64, and the $1 superfecta wager payout reached $237.98.
Historical Context and Performance
Golden Tempo is now the 13th horse to sweep the Derby and the Belmont without competing in the Preakness. Interestingly, the May 16 Preakness winner, Napoleon Solo, did not participate in either of the other two Triple Crown events.
The winning time of 2:03.49 was slightly slower than previous major outings, trailing Sovereignty’s blistering 2025 pace by 2.8 seconds and falling 1.22 seconds off Golden Tempo's own winning time at the 1.25-mile distance during the Kentucky Derby on May 2. Prior to his rise to fame, the colt had campaigned exclusively at The Fair Grounds in New Orleans, showing early promise with a Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes victory before struggling in the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby.
Record-Setting Success
Trainer Cherie DeVaux celebrated a monumental milestone, saddling her first Belmont Stakes winner and becoming the first woman to train two Triple Crown winners. Jockey Jose Ortiz also added to his legacy, securing his second career Belmont win after his 2017 victory aboard Tapwrit.
The victory secured $1.2 million for the owners from the $2 million purse. For the third consecutive year, the race was hosted at Saratoga Race Course due to ongoing renovations at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. To accommodate the Saratoga track, the event was contested at the 1.25-mile distance.
