In the Money Media
ITM Telegraph
Sunday, June 7, 2026 | Belmont Stakes Recap | Epsom Derby Results
By ITM Staff
ITM Plus — Free Month Offer Has Ended. But It’s Not Too Late to Join.
The free month offer expired at the Belmont, but ITM Plus is always open. Nick Tammaro’s daily Saratoga meet coverage starts this summer. PTF’s horse-by-horse analysis, exclusive podcasts, and show notes — all in one place. Join at inthemoneypodcast.com/plus.
Golden Tempo Wins the Belmont Stakes
Golden Tempo did it again. The Kentucky Derby winner rallied from last to win the 158th Belmont Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday night, defeating Commandment by a length and a quarter with Renegade — the 9-5 wagering favourite — finishing third. Trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to win both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. Jockey Jose Ortiz earned his fourth Triple Crown victory.
The race unfolded in similar fashion to the Derby. Powershift set an honest pace from PP2, with Growth Equity tracking in second. Golden Tempo sat last early under Ortiz, began his move on the far turn, swept past the tiring pace horses and drew off to win going away. Commandment, who had the worst trip in the Derby, finally got the race he deserved — stalking the pace and finishing with a sustained run to be a clear second. Renegade, the morning line favourite who had been backed into 9-5, could not sustain his challenge in the stretch.
DeVaux after the race: “We felt the best horse won the Kentucky Derby and it just solidified that today.” On the question of whether Golden Tempo could have won the Triple Crown: “It’s not something I want to think about.”
| Finish | Horse | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Golden Tempo | Jose Ortiz | 6-1 |
| 2nd | Commandment | John Velazquez | 6-1 |
| 3rd | Renegade | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 9-5 |
| 4th | Chief Wallabee | Junior Alvarado | 3-1 |
| 5th | Emerging Market | Flavien Prat | 6-1 |
| 6th | Growth Equity | Manuel Franco | 12-1 |
| 7th | Vitruvian Man | Antonio Fresu | 30-1 |
| 8th | Ottinho | Dylan Davis | 20-1 |
| 9th | Powershift | Luis Saez | 12-1 |
Belmont Stakes Day — Undercard Results
| Race | Winner | Trainer/Jockey | Beyer | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just a Game (G1) | Classic Q | Casse / Velazquez | 99 | Wire to wire |
| True North (G3) | Book’em Danno | Ryan / Paco Lopez | 104 | 3-for-3 at Saratoga |
| Jaipur (G1) | Reef Runner | Fawkes / Irad Ortiz Jr. | 102 | ✅ WAYII — BC Turf Sprint |
| Woody Stephens (G1) | Englishman | DeVaux / Jose Ortiz | 115 ⚡ | Track record 1:20.40 |
| Metropolitan H. (G1) | Nysos | Baffert / Prat | 109 | 8 wins from 10 starts |
| Manhattan (G1) | Deterministic | Clement / Carmouche | 100 | Defends 2025 title |
| Belmont (G1) | Golden Tempo | DeVaux / Jose Ortiz | 98 | Derby-Belmont double |
Christmas Day Wins the Epsom Derby — But the Story Is Benvenuto Cellini
Christmas Day (7-1, Ronan Whelan / Aidan O’Brien) won the Betfred Derby at Epsom on Saturday, powering through testing soft ground to win by two and three-quarter lengths from Maltese Cross (12-1) and James J Braddock (9-1). King Charles III and Queen Camilla were in attendance, with the King sheltering under an umbrella as rain fell throughout the card. Whelan described the performance as effortless: “He just travelled and quickened. I couldn’t believe how easy it was.” Aidan O’Brien lands a fifth Epsom Derby.
The Controversy: Benvenuto Cellini Declared a Non-Runner
The race was dominated by the extraordinary drama surrounding 3-1 favourite Benvenuto Cellini. Twenty minutes after the race finished — with Cellini having crossed the line in tenth — the stewards declared him a non-runner following a post-race inquiry. Video footage showed his near hind leg was on the shelf of the starting stalls when the gates opened, leaving him effectively standing on three legs at the moment of the start. The BHA deemed his chance had been “materially affected at the start.”
BHA head of stewarding Shaun Parker: “In reviewing the film after the running of the race, we then realised that also as the start was effected, his leg was caught up on the running board and he was effectively standing on three legs when the gates opened and unable to jump on terms with the field.” Ryan Moore had glanced to his left just before the gates opened — he knew immediately something was wrong.
The betting consequences were significant. All bets placed on Benvenuto Cellini after Wednesday’s declarations were refunded in full. Bets on winner Christmas Day were subject to a Rule 4 deduction of 25p in the pound — meaning a winning £1,000 bet on Christmas Day at 7-1 returned £5,250 rather than £7,000. Coral and Boyle Sports waived the Rule 4 deduction; others did not.
The decision was immediately controversial. Simon Clare, group director of consumer PR at Entain, called it “an extraordinary act of self-sabotage” on Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday programme: “This was a shocking decision, shockingly bad. The impact was huge. This is the biggest betting Flat race of the year, this was the best backed horse in the race — over a third of the stakes were placed on it.”
The Horseracing Bettors Forum, which represents punters, was equally critical. Chair Sean Trivass: “The majority view of the HBF is that we do not feel the horse was inconvenienced enough to be deemed a non-runner. We’re wary of where this may lead in the future — opening a potential can of worms with punters wondering if a horse who missed the break after rearing in the stalls will then be declared a non-runner.”
Parker acknowledged the tension: “There’s never going to be a perfect solution in terms of having a rule that is going to appease everybody. On the counter — if you’d backed the favourite and that’s happened to you at the start, it would be very difficult to explain why we didn’t think that it had materially affected his chances.”
Aidan O’Brien, characteristically measured: “That happens, it’s horse racing and things don’t always go right.”
Today’s Racing
Saratoga racing continues — first post 12:35 PM ET. Santa Anita is also on the card.
Santa Anita Sunday — Dean Keppler
Dean Keppler | In the Money Media | Sunday, June 7, 2026
Best Bet: #3 Detain, Race 8. Full card analysis for Santa Anita at the link.
Free Horse Racing Tips Every Week — The ITM Players’ Newsletter
The ITM Players’ Newsletter goes out every Friday and is packed with free horse racing analysis, picks, and content from the full ITM team and partners. Sign up free at inthemoneypodcast.com/email.
