RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesSARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK - JUNE 06: Golden Tempo with Jose Ortiz up, wins the 158th running of the Belmont Stakes with with Commandment and John Velazquez up finishing second at Saratoga Race Course on June 06, 2026 in Saratoga Springs, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK - JUNE 06: Golden Tempo with Jose Ortiz up, wins the 158th running of the Belmont Stakes with with Commandment and John Velazquez up finishing second at Saratoga Race Course on June 06, 2026 in Saratoga Springs, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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Race days – and specifically this lovely Jim Dandy race day at Saratoga – have a way of debunking much of the fluff as we all drill down to what we’re going to lay on the barrelhead, backing whom. The windows beckon at the Spa. The money has yet to speak, but it will.
But before we dive into what Commandment may do to Renegade, or vice versa, or how Chip Honcho could just possibly squeak by to whip them both, we’ll tip the hat to the origins of today’s race and the venerable reputation of Saratoga’s (alleged) track bias favoring speed, or at least its “graveyard of champions” legend that (supposedly) favors upsets of a grand order.
First and foremost, the morning refresher on the field and the morning line:
(Post Position, Trainer, Jockey, Morning Line Odds)
1. Chip Honcho, Steve Asmussen, Jose Ortiz, 3-1
2. Asked and Answered, Antonio Arriaga, Jaime Rodriguez, 30-1
3. Renegade, Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr., 7-5
4. Silent Tactic, Mark Casse, Luis Saez, 6-1
5. Commandment, Brad Cox, Flavien Prat, 6-5
(Source: New York Racing Association, 8/1/2026)
The story is this: In 1964, the Saratoga grandees decided to inaugurate this afternoon’s race, a Travers prep, by insouciantly naming it for the 100-1 longshot Jim Dandy, who, at Saratoga in 1930, infamously toppled that year’s Triple Crown victor Gallant Fox in the mud. Going off at 1-2, Gallant Fox had been considered a dead-sure thing.
Fast forward to June 2026: Two months ago on this reputed spoiler of a track, nothing was “spoiled” by anything like a “speed bias.” Rather, in the 158th Belmont running, three Triple Crown deep closers famously battled it out down the lane, speed nowhere in sight.
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo certified his victorious Churchill Downs close with yet another breathtakingly dominant close that simply shut down the game Commandment, who just had no tools and no ability to match the immense power of of the winner’s last-furlong surge. After a really rough Belmont trip, Renegade held on to show.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
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