SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Golden Tempo surged down the stretch on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course to capture the 158th Belmont Stakes, prevailing by a margin over Commandment and holding off favorite Renegade. The 1 1/4-mile race was completed in 2:03.49 by the six-to-one winner, ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Cherie DeVaux. The victory completed two legs of the Triple Crown for Golden Tempo, who won the Kentucky Derby five weeks earlier, after his connections had elected to skip the Preakness. The result also extended a milestone run for DeVaux, further cementing her place among the sport’s prominent trainers.
Key Takeaways
- Golden Tempo won the 158th Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, finishing the 1 1/4-mile race in 2:03.49 and returning a $14 win payout.
- Jockey Jose Ortiz rode Golden Tempo; trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to win multiple Triple Crown races.
- Commandment finished second and favorite Renegade placed third in a nine-horse field; Renegade was the Kentucky Derby runner-up.
- Owners chose to bypass the Preakness, making Golden Tempo the second straight Derby winner to skip the middle jewel and then win the Belmont.
- The Belmont was run at Saratoga for the third and final time while Belmont Park undergoes demolition and reconstruction; the race is scheduled to return to Belmont Park next year.
- Payout details: Golden Tempo paid $14.00 to win, $7.32 to place and $3.88 to show; Commandment paid $4.08 to place and $7.02 to show; Renegade paid $2.52 to place.
- Ortiz won his second Belmont Stakes, his first since riding Tapwrit in 2017.
Background
The Belmont Stakes is the third and longest of the Triple Crown races, traditionally held at Belmont Park. This year’s running took place at Saratoga Springs while Belmont Park is being demolished and rebuilt; organizers have said the race will return to its traditional venue next season. Holding the Belmont at Saratoga is an interim solution that has altered track dynamics compared with Belmont Park’s layout and surface.
Cherie DeVaux, who was born in Saratoga Springs and began her career around the same circuit, rose to national attention as the trainer of Golden Tempo after the colt won the Kentucky Derby five weeks earlier. DeVaux became the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner and, with this Belmont, the first woman to win multiple Triple Crown races. Jena Antonucci’s Arcangelo won the Belmont in 2023, making DeVaux the second female trainer to take this race in four years.
Main Event
The pace in the Belmont was slower than the Derby at Churchill Downs, but Golden Tempo produced a decisive late run to prevail. Ortiz positioned the colt off the leaders and launched a stretch bid that overtook Commandment before the wire; Commandment finished second while Renegade, the pre-race favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz, was third. The order held in a nine-horse field, and the official time for the 1 1/4-mile distance was 2:03.49.
Ortiz said the race unfolded differently than at Churchill Downs, noting Golden Tempo did not receive the same early setup he had in the Derby but still responded when it mattered. Owners had opted not to send Golden Tempo to the Preakness, a choice that cleared the way for the colt to target and win the Belmont. The decision paid off for connections and produced strong local interest, particularly because the race was run in Saratoga Springs.
After the finish, DeVaux praised her horse and jockey and acknowledged the historic weight of the victory. Co-owner Vinnie Viola dedicated the win to his late friend Dominic DiPrisco, who died Wednesday at age 70, underscoring the emotional context owners and connections brought to the race day. Ortiz, already a Belmont winner in 2017, emphasized the colt’s merit in his postrace comments.
Analysis & Implications
Golden Tempo’s Belmont win reinforces the pattern of connections choosing to skip the Preakness and focus on the Derby and Belmont as a strategy to manage a top 3-year-old’s campaign. Skipping the Preakness reduces the rapid-fire three-week turnaround and can preserve a horse’s peak condition for longer-distance events; Golden Tempo’s performance will likely encourage other owners weighing that choice. From a sporting standpoint, the victory strengthens Golden Tempo’s résumé as a top 3-year-old for 2026.
Economically, the Belmont victory elevates Golden Tempo’s value as a future stallion prospect. Two Classic wins, particularly the Derby and Belmont, typically increase breeding market interest and long-term earning potential for connections. Trainers and bloodstock agents will factor the colt’s race times, running style and consistency into stud projections, though actual valuations will depend on pedigree and further postrace veterinary evaluations.
The win also has symbolic and industry-level significance for women in training. DeVaux’s achievement — as the first woman to win multiple Triple Crown races — contributes to a visible trend of female trainers succeeding at the highest level. That momentum may encourage broader attention to training pathways and resources for women in the sport, while also shaping hiring and investment decisions among owners seeking competitive stables.
Comparison & Data
| Position | Horse | Jockey | Odds | Payout (W-P-S) | Official Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Tempo | Jose Ortiz | 6-1 | $14.00 – $7.32 – $3.88 | 2:03.49 |
| 2 | Commandment | — | — | $4.08 – $7.02 (P-S) | — |
| 3 | Renegade | Irad Ortiz | — | $2.52 (P) | — |
The table above captures the race-paying results and the official time for the winner. Complete chart detail for all nine starters, fractional splits and stewards’ notes will be published in the official race chart from the track and the racing secretary. The slower early pace compared with Churchill Downs shaped a race that favored a strong closer like Golden Tempo; analysts will review splits to quantify how much pace affected closing fractions.
Reactions & Quotes
Before and after the trophy presentation, connections reflected on the performance and its meaning for the team.
“Golden Tempo is amazing. Jose is amazing.”
Cherie DeVaux, trainer
DeVaux framed the victory as both a validation of the colt’s Derby run and a milestone for her career; she emphasized the horse’s role in achieving the result and acknowledged the historic nature of the accomplishment for a Saratoga native.
“He wasn’t going to get that setup as he did in the Derby.”
Jose Ortiz, jockey
Ortiz explained his tactical approach and noted he expected a different pace scenario than at Churchill Downs; his assessment highlights how in-race adjustments contributed to the winning move.
“I know you’re in heaven, and I love you and this race is for you.”
Vinnie Viola, co-owner
Viola dedicated the victory to a late friend, underscoring the personal and emotional dimensions that often accompany high-profile racing wins.
Unconfirmed
- Longer-term plans for Golden Tempo’s 2026-2027 campaign (retirement to stud vs. continued racing) have not been announced by connections.
- Any undisclosed physical issues or minor setbacks after the race have not been publicly reported and remain unconfirmed.
- How running the Belmont at Saratoga in consecutive years will affect long-term scheduling or track decisions beyond the planned return to Belmont Park next year is not yet finalized.
Bottom Line
Golden Tempo’s victory in the 158th Belmont Stakes at Saratoga solidifies the colt’s status among the top 3-year-olds of the season, pairing a Kentucky Derby win with a Belmont triumph five weeks later. The result validates the owners’ strategy to skip the Preakness and highlights strategic scheduling as a viable path to success in the Classic season.
The win also amplifies Cherie DeVaux’s rising profile and the broader narrative of women achieving major training milestones in elite racing. As the sport turns back to Belmont Park next year, this Saratoga chapter will be remembered for its on-track drama and the way it reframed tactical choices for Derby-era connections.