Renegade Goes Into Belmont the Favorite

With hours to go until post time, Renegade remained the favorite for Saturday's 158th running of the Belmont Stakes—the third leg of horse racing's Triple Crown. The Kentucky Derby runner-up trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher has been bet down to 8-5 after opening at 2-1 on the morning line, the AP reports. The Belmont is being run at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York for a third and final time while its traditional home on the border of Queens and Long Island was demolished and rebuilt. The race is set to return to Belmont Park next year.

Favorites haven't always coasted to victory at Saratoga, CBS Sports points out, with maybe the most famous example being the great Man o' War, which lost in 1919 for his only defeat in 21 races there. Golden Tempo also is in the mix Saturday; the horse made Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner. They skipped the Preakness. DeVaux, who was born in Saratoga Springs and began her training career at the track, would become the second female trainer to win the Belmont. Jena Antonucci was victorious in 2023 with Archangelo. Post time is 7:04pm ET.