When is the 2026 Belmont Stakes? The 158th running of the “Test of the Champion” is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, 2026, with an approximate post time of 6:50 PM ET.
For the third and final consecutive year, the final jewel of the Triple Crown will take place at the historic Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, while the massive demolition and reconstruction of Belmont Park reaches its final phases ahead of its official September grand reopening.
The primary storyline heading into Saratoga centers on Golden Tempo, who intentionally skipped the middle jewel of the Triple Crown to point fresh toward New York. He will face a big challenge from the newly crowned Preakness Stakes champion, Napoleon Solo, setting up an incredible heavyweight rematch between the dual classic winners at Saratoga. The stakes will be incredibly high
The race will be broadcast live nationwide on FOX and the FOX Sports app. Below is our updated printable 2026 Belmont Stakes schedule, broadcast checklist, and active field contenders.
Last Updated: May 21, 2026
2026 Belmont Stakes Event Schedule & TV Broadcast Info
Here’s the 2026 Belmont Stakes event schedule for you. We also have the TV broadcast info for you to checkout the racing events. Please note that the race is the same length as the Kentucky Derby this year.
| Event | Date | Time (ET) | TV Channel & Streaming |
| Belmont Racing Festival Opener | Wednesday, June 3 | 12:00 PM | FS1 / FS2 / FOX Sports App |
| The Acorn Stakes (G1) | Friday, June 5 | 5:00 PM | FS2 / FOX Sports App |
| 158th Belmont Stakes (G1) | Saturday, June 6 | 6:50 PM | FOX / FOX Sports App |
| Belmont Festival Finale | Sunday, June 7 | 1:00 PM | FS2 / FOX Sports App |
2026 Belmont Stakes Early Contenders & Morning Line Odds
Here are the 2026 Belmont Stakes early contenders for you. We’ll update you as the field solidifies and we start getting Morning Line odds released. Of note, similar to the Preakness, the Belmont Stakes is capped at 14 horses this year.
Note: Post positions and official odds are typically announced on the Monday of race week (June 1, 2026).
| Post Position | Horse | Trainer | Primary Jockey | Early Projections |
| TBD | Napoleon Solo | Chad Summers | Paco Lopez | Preakness Stakes Winner / Dual-Classic Threat |
| TBD | Golden Tempo | Cherie DeVaux | José Ortiz | Kentucky Derby Winner / Freshened Favorite |
| TBD | Iron Honor | Chad Brown | Flavien Prat | Preakness Runner-Up / Closing Specialist |
| TBD | Renegade | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Kentucky Derby Runner-Up (Lost by a Neck) |
| TBD | Chief Wallabee | Bill Mott | Junior Alvarado | 4th Place Derby Finisher / Saratoga Specialist |
| TBD | Commandment | Brad Cox | Luis Saez | Florida Derby Winner / Target List |
| TBD | Further Ado | Brad Cox | John Velazquez | Blue Grass Stakes Winner |
| TBD | Incredibolt | Riley Mott | Jaime Torres | 5th Place Preakness Finisher / Target List |
| TBD | Potente | Bob Baffert | Juan Hernandez | Southern California Top Contender |
2026 Belmont Stakes Schedule Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is the 2026 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga again? The New York Racing Association (NYRA) temporarily relocated the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival to Saratoga Race Course for the 2024, 2025, and 2026 seasons to accommodate a complete $455 million rebuilding of Belmont Park. The brand-new state-of-the-art facility on Long Island is officially scheduled to reopen for live racing on September 18, 2026, meaning the Triple Crown will return home to its traditional track in June 2027.
Is the distance of the 2026 Belmont Stakes shorter? Yes. Because Saratoga’s main dirt track configuration has a smaller circumference than the massive 1.5-mile “Big Sandy” oval at Belmont Park, the 2026 race cannot physically be run at its traditional 1 1/2-mile distance. For this year, it will be contested at 1 1/4 miles (10 furlongs), making it the exact same length as the Kentucky Derby.
Where can I watch or stream the Belmont Stakes without cable? National television coverage belongs exclusively to FOX. Cord-cutters can stream the entire race card live using the FOX Sports App by logging in with active television provider credentials, or through live internet TV streaming services including YouTube TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV. It will not be available to stream on Peacock or Max.
Will the 2026 Preakness Stakes winner run in the Belmont? Yes. Following his commanding 1 1/4-length victory under jockey Paco Lopez, trainer Chad Summers indicated that Preakness champion Napoleon Solo is actively targeting the Belmont Stakes. This sets up a highly anticipated showdown against fresh Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo.
Internal Resources & Triple Crown Hub
- Kentucky Derby Bingo Generator: Generate custom bingo cards for your Triple Crown watch parties.
- Printable 2026 Preakness Stakes Betting Sheet: Download our signature high-contrast tracking sheet for today’s middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
- 2026 NFL Printable Schedule Hub: Get ahead of the regular season with clean, low-ink PDF schedules for all 32 franchises.
- 2026 French Open Bracket & TV Schedule: Check out the newly updated broadcast channels and tournament draws for Roland Garros.
