Golden Tempo captured the 158th Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 6, defeating Commandment by 1¼ lengths. Crossing the wire in 2:03.49, jockey Jose Ortiz guided the Kentucky Derby champion to a decisive win in upstate New York.
The race looked entirely different this year. Because Belmont Park is undergoing demolition and reconstruction, the event temporarily shifted to Saratoga Race Course. This venue change forced officials to shorten the traditional track layout to a 1¼-mile distance, an adjustment noted by CBS News reporters.
Going off at 6-1 odds, Golden Tempo returned a $14 payout to win, paying $7.32 to place and $3.88 to show. The victory cemented Cherie DeVaux as the first female trainer to capture both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes in the same year, a historic milestone confirmed in a detailed AP report. DeVaux joins Jena Antonucci as the only female trainers to win the Belmont in the last four years.
The colt’s ownership group made a calculated gamble by intentionally skipping the Preakness Stakes in May to keep Golden Tempo fresh specifically for Saratoga. That exact strategy mirrors the path Sovereignty took to win the same two races last year. Ortiz executed the ride flawlessly, later commenting on the slower pace and strategic race setup during a post-race Guardian interview.
Golden Tempo ultimately overpowered the 8-5 betting favorite, Renegade, who settled for third. Renegade was trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., setting up a brother-versus-brother matchup on the track. Commandment, also running at 6-1 odds, crossed the wire in second place.