Renegade Lands Favoritism as Belmont Stakes Field Comes Into Focus at Saratoga
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Five weeks after coming up a neck short in the Kentucky Derby, Renegade will get his chance at redemption as the morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 158th running of the Belmont Stakes.
The Todd Pletcher-trained colt was installed as the 2-1 choice when post positions were drawn Monday for the $2 million classic, drawing post 4 in a compact but competitive field of nine 3-year-olds. Kentucky Derby hero Golden Tempo, whose dramatic late rally delivered one of the biggest surprises of the spring, was pegged as the 9-2 third choice and will break from the far outside in post 9.
While Golden Tempo owns the sport’s most prestigious victory of the season, bettors appear willing to give Renegade another look after a Derby effort that may have been better than the final result suggests. Forced to overcome significant early adversity at Churchill Downs, Renegade dropped far off the pace before unleashing a powerful stretch run that nearly carried him to victory. He briefly looked home free before Golden Tempo surged past in the closing strides.
Pletcher, already a four-time Belmont Stakes winner, has pointed specifically to this race since the Derby and will attempt to add another victory to his impressive résumé in New York’s final Triple Crown event.
Golden Tempo arrives at Saratoga seeking to strengthen an already remarkable story. The son of Curlin produced a stunning last-to-first rally at odds exceeding 20-1 in the Kentucky Derby, delivering trainer Cherie DeVaux a historic milestone as the first woman to saddle a Derby winner. Connections elected to bypass the Preakness Stakes and focus exclusively on the Belmont, a strategy that has become increasingly common in recent years.
Chief Wallabee, fourth in the Kentucky Derby, was made the 3-1 second choice on the morning line and figures prominently among the leading challengers. Commandment and Emerging Market were both listed at 6-1, while Powershift opened at 12-1. Chad Brown will be represented by a trio of runners in Emerging Market, Growth Equity, and Ottinho.
The Belmont will once again be contested at Saratoga Race Course while work continues on the redevelopment of Belmont Park. As a result, the race will be run at 1 1/4 miles rather than its traditional 1 1/2-mile distance, matching the length of the Kentucky Derby.
With no Triple Crown on the line this year and Preakness winner Napoleon Solo absent from the field, the spotlight shifts to the rematch between Derby winner Golden Tempo and runner-up Renegade. If their showdown at Churchill Downs is any indication, racing fans could be in for another memorable finish on Saturday evening.
