2026 Belmont Stakes Picks: Longshots & Sleeper Bets

With only four horses with odds greater than 10/1, finding value in longshots at this year's Belmont Stakes is as tough as ever. Is there any reason to trust Vitruvian Man at 30/1? I don't think so. I expect that horse to finish well out of the money when all is said and done. But perhaps there's hope for the other longshots in this race. I dissect three Belmont longshot picks, focusing on two horses that could play spoiler and one trifecta that is worth a look. Check out our 2026 Belmont Stakes picks below.

2026 Belmont Stakes Draw, Post Positions, & Betting Preview >>

2026 Belmont Stakes Picks: Longshots & Sleeper Bets

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

Here are the best longshots to consider for the 2026 Kentucky Derby.

Powershift (12/1)

Of all the horses with odds of 10/1 or greater, Powershift is easily my favorite. This is a horse that won his last time out, and in his first race, he finished second behind only Emerging Market. That said, these odds are more based on Powershift's distant sixth-place finish at the Tampa Bay Derby in March.

Still, this is a very long race, and while that doesn’t necessarily give Powershift any sort of advantage, I could see the distance wearing on some of the frontrunners late in the race. If these true contenders start to fade down the home stretch, I could see Powershift making a huge move late to pass struggling horses and sneak onto the podium. 

It also really helps that Powershift is being ridden by Luis Saez, who won the 2021 and 2024 Belmont Stakes, and is trained by Todd Pletcher, who is in search of his fifth Belmont win. While that victory is more likely to come from Renegade, I still think it's worth taking a shot on a solid horse with a jockey who loves this event.

Check out our full 2026 Belmont Stakes Betting Profile for Powershift >>

Growth Equity (12/1)

The other 12/1 horse in this race is Growth Equity, a colt that just keeps getting better with every start. Growth Equity won the Peter Pan Stakes in early May, and he's now won back-to-back races.

In four races, Growth Equity has yet to finish worse than second. While he's certainly stepping up in competition, this is another horse that I like to potentially do some damage late, while some of the frontrunners falter.

Jockey Manuel Franco will ride Growth Equity, a positive sign since Franco won the 2020 Belmont Stakes aboard Tiz the Law. The only thing I don't like about this is that it wasn't Franco who rode Growth Equity to victory at the Peter Pan Stakes.

However, trainer Chad Brown has won the Belmont Stakes twice. He has three horses in this race, and Growth Equity has the second-shortest odds out of that trio. I'd take Emerging Market over Growth Equity, but the latter is at least worth including in exotics.

Check out our full 2026 Belmont Stakes Betting Profile for Growth Equity >>

Trifecta Box: Golden Tempo/Chief Wallabee/Powershift

For my final play, I'm taking a trifecta. Last year proved that even in a year when all three favorites crossed the line in first, second and third, a $1 bet can still win $13.80. Now granted, if you decided to box those three horses, then you would have spent $6, but you still would have more than doubled your bet.

Therefore, I'm placing a trifecta box bet on Golden Tempo/Chief Wallabee/Powershift. I've already explained what I like about Powershift, and if he were to ever win this race, then this trifecta would have the potential to pay a lot, even with the other two horses favored in this race.

Golden Tempo has morning line odds of 9/2, which I think undervalues the Kentucky Derby winner. I thought Golden Tempo was being undervalued heading into the Kentucky Derby, and I made the horse my top longshot for the race. I think he's being undervalued again, as his style of racing makes him a threat as long as he stays within striking distance late.

Then there is Chief Wallabee. He finished fourth at the Kentucky Derby and had one of the roughest rides of any horse in the race. While he didn't have as much left as Golden Tempo coming down the home stretch, this is a strong horse that can close. Chief Wallabee hasn't won since January, but I think he should be favored in this race over Renegade and the rest of the field.

2026 Belmont Stakes Post Positions & Odds

Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.