The first two legs of the Triple Crown are complete, and attention now turns to the $2 million Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets at Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The race will again be run at Saratoga Race Course because Belmont Park is still being renovated, and the distance stays at 1 1/4 miles since the track is not configured for the traditional 1 1/2 miles.
The early picture points to a rematch at the top of the field. Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo and runner-up Renegade stand out as the most likely headliners, while several other Triple Crown contenders are still in the conversation as the Belmont field takes shape.
The Derby rematch at the center of the race
Golden Tempo arrives with the biggest spotlight after winning the Kentucky Derby and making Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Derby winner. DeVaux and the colt’s owners, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, skipped the Preakness Stakes and pointed straight to the Belmont.
Renegade looks like the most obvious challenger. He entered the Derby with back-to-back strong wins in the Sam F. Davis Stakes and the Arkansas Derby, then ran a solid race from the inside post before finishing a neck behind Golden Tempo.
Golden Tempo’s late kick makes him a natural fit for 1 1/4 miles, but the pace scenario matters. His Derby speed figures were described as underwhelming, which could make bettors cautious if the Belmont does not set up for a deep closer.
Other Triple Crown trail horses still matter
Commandment and Chief Wallabee both bring strong form from the spring prep races. Commandment beat Chief Wallabee in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes and again in the Curlin Florida Derby, and both horses drew support in the Kentucky Derby before finishing seventh and fourth, respectively.
That Derby effort leaves both colts with something to prove, but the smaller Belmont field could suit them better. Their earlier head-to-head results suggest they belong among the more credible win threats if the race unfolds cleanly.
Emerging Market is another name worth noting after starting the season unbeaten in two races and then finishing 10th in the Kentucky Derby. The Louisiana Derby winner faced a crowded Derby atmosphere for the first time, and the move to a less hectic Belmont setup could help him rebound.
A closer who keeps showing up
Ocelli remains one of the more intriguing possibilities because of his consistency against top company. He ran third in the Kentucky Derby, just a length behind the winner, then came back with a fourth in the Preakness Stakes.
Trainer Whit Beckman is strongly considering the Belmont for the Connect colt, who is still a maiden but has been competitive in elite races. This would be his fourth start in nine weeks and his sixth straight stakes appearance, so stamina and recovery will matter as much as class.
Like Golden Tempo, Ocelli does his best work late. He would also benefit from a fast early pace, which could turn the race into a better setup for closing types.
New shooters can add depth, but the top tier still looks strongest
A group of new faces could enter the Belmont picture, including Growth Equity, Talk to Me Jimmy, Ottinho, Powershift, Chip Honcho, and Potente. Growth Equity, the Peter Pan Stakes winner, looks like the clearest standout among them after defeating Talk to Me Jimmy by two lengths on May 9.
Talk to Me Jimmy won the Withers Stakes, while Ottinho was runner-up in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes and Powershift has arrived off a runaway maiden win. Potente, the San Felipe Stakes Presented by DK Horse winner, is trying to move past a 12th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.
Chip Honcho also brings stakes experience after finishing third in the Preakness Stakes. Even so, the early read on the Belmont field suggests the likely winner will come from the higher-profile group led by Golden Tempo, Renegade, Commandment, Chief Wallabee, Emerging Market, or Ocelli.
The Belmont Stakes field is still taking shape, but the race already has a clear center of gravity. Golden Tempo’s Derby victory gives the classic its main storyline, and Renegade’s strong spring form makes the rematch one of the most important questions heading into Saratoga Springs.
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