by ITM Staff
ITM Telegraph — Monday, June 1, 2026
Your daily briefing on what to watch, read, and bet from In The Money Media and the world of horse racing.
🏇 Belmont Draw Day
The post-position draw for the 158th Belmont Stakes is today at 5:00 PM ET, streamed live on the NYRA YouTube channel. Nine horses are expected for Saturday’s $2 million final jewel of the Triple Crown at Saratoga (1¼ miles, 7:04 PM ET post time on FOX). Tomorrow’s Telegraph will have the full draw, updated odds, and pace projections.
The headline matchup: Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo vs. Derby runner-up Renegade. Golden Tempo, trained by Cherie DeVaux, skipped the Preakness and is expected to arrive at Saratoga today. Renegade, trained by Todd Pletcher, enters as the likely morning-line favorite. Six of the top 10 Derby finishers are expected, with Ocelli the only horse to have run in all three legs.
🎬 Draw Reaction Video: PTF will have a draw reaction and analysis video up on the ITM YouTube channel later tonight — subscribe and hit the bell so you don’t miss it.
🎙️ Tomorrow Night: Belmont Final Answers — PTF and JK are joined by Vanessa Ryle and Michael Adolphson for the ITM Belmont Final Answers show. Picks, pace scenarios, ticket structures, and the plays you need for Saturday. Don’t miss it.
📰 Belmont Festival Preview: Your Reading List
The undercard is stacked — six Grade 1 races on Saturday alone plus five graded stakes on Friday. Here’s where to go for the best coverage of each angle:
👉 Emerging Market Taking Derby Lessons into Belmont — Daily Racing Form
Chad Brown’s three-horse Belmont attack examined in depth: Emerging Market working over Saratoga’s Oklahoma track, Growth Equity coming off the Peter Pan win, and Ottinho dealing with a foot issue in a bar shoe. Brown’s rationale for entering multiple: “Why don’t I put a horse in there when there seems to be unlikely winners popping up?”
👉 Lack of Early Speed a Negative for Golden Tempo and Renegade — Daily Racing Form
The pace scenario is shaping up very differently from the Derby. DRF examines how the absence of early speed could hurt the two closers who dominated at Churchill — and who might benefit instead.
👉 Belmont Stakes Early Odds and Field Analysis — Horse Racing Nation
Brian Zipse’s morning-line projections and horse-by-horse analysis of the probable nine-horse field, including Renegade at 2-1 and Emerging Market at 8-1 for Chad Brown, who is seeking his first Belmont win and could have up to three entrants.
👉 Your Complete Guide to the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga — America’s Best Racing
The full festival rundown: the Met Mile could feature Journalism, Nysos, Antiquarian, and Saudi Crown. The Jaipur and Ogden Phipps are Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifiers. Ticket info, schedule, and logistics for fans heading to the Spa.
👉 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Lookahead — US Racing
Deeper dive into the undercard stakes: the Woody Stephens could feature Crude Velocity and Baffert’s unbeaten pair, the Manhattan at 1 3/16 on turf, and more. Plus Chad Brown’s potential three-pronged Belmont attack with Emerging Market, Growth Equity, and Ottinho.
👉 Belmont Post Position Draw Preview — FanDuel Research
A look at how Golden Tempo is taking the same Sovereignty route to Belmont glory (skip the Preakness, five weeks’ rest), plus the confirmed field and what to watch for in today’s draw.
👉 Belmont Week at Saratoga — Daily Gazette
Local Saratoga perspective: the festival schedule across all five days (Wednesday through Sunday), first post times, and what the Spa looks like this week as the BSRF returns for the third and final time before the new Belmont Park opens in September.
📅 The Full Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Schedule
Wednesday, June 3: New York Showcase Day — Six NY-bred stakes. First post 12:35 PM.
Thursday, June 4: Racing continues. First post 12:35 PM.
Friday, June 5: New York (G1), Acorn (G1), Ogden Phipps (G1/BC), Bed o’ Roses (G2), Wonder Again (G2). First post 11:45 AM.
Saturday, June 6 — BELMONT STAKES DAY: Belmont Stakes (G1, $2M), Met Mile (G1/BC, $1M), Manhattan (G1, $1M), Woody Stephens (G1, $500K), Just a Game (G1, $500K), Jaipur (G1/BC, $500K), True North (G3, $400K). First post 11:00 AM. Belmont post ~7:04 PM ET on FOX.
Sunday, June 7: Racing continues. First post 12:35 PM.
🎯 ITM Plus — This Is the Week
Sign up for ITM Plus before Belmont day and get an extra month FREE — meaning all of our July Saratoga content is included. Belmont week is where ITM Plus earns its keep: Nick Tammaro analysis, exclusive podcasts, detailed show notes, and picks coverage you won’t find anywhere else. One month gets you two.
📋 Sunday Recap: Written Analysis Results
A few things to mention from Sunday’s written analysis across three tracks. Dean Keppler got his Best Bet home at Santa Anita when Miso Phansy ($4.80) stalked and pounced in Race 7, and he doubled up when Stronghold ($3.00) proved best in the Triple Bend (G3). Will Humphrey had three top-pick winners at Laurel — Gimme Two Shots ($5.80), Sweeterthanwhiskey ($4.60), and Big Earn ($4.20) — continuing a strong run with the mid-Atlantic cards. A more forgettable day at Monmouth for Eric Solomon after his sensational Saturday (remember: $21.60 Neat in the Cliff Hanger), but he was seeing the ball well with a stack of seconds and thirds — just a bit unlucky on a card where the winners came from unexpected places. Daily written analysis from all three will continue later in the week as we shift focus to Belmont.
📺 Last Week at ITM
Tom Durkin: “A Life’s Calling” — PTF sits down with the legendary caller to talk about his new memoir. Watch here — and drop your favorite Durkin call in the comments.
Donna Brothers: Embrace the Belmont III — Donna rejoins PTF for her first visit since retiring from NBC. Watch here.
The Owner’s Box 198: Lynn Hancock — Five generations of the Hancock family, from Sunday Silence to the Breeders’ Cup Board. Watch here.
PTF & Nick Tammaro: Early Belmont Thoughts — The pace scenario, Pletcher’s contrasting styles, and where to find value. Watch here.
The ITM Telegraph publishes daily through Belmont week. Tomorrow: full post-position draw analysis, updated odds, and pace projections.
