Andy Newton
The Eddie Olczyk Belmont Stakes picks for 2026 have been revealed, with the former NHL player and now respected NBC handicapper giving his “must-use” tips for Saturday’s 158th renewal of the ‘Third Jewel of the Triple Crown’.
Olczyk names his main Belmont Stakes selection, along with his best bets in the Met Mile and Manhattan Stakes – with all three races still being staged at Saratoga Race Course, due to the ongoing renovations at Belmont Park.
Plus, with Eddie Olczyk having already fired in this year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winners – he’s going for his own tipping ‘Triple Crown” in the Belmont on Saturday.
You can see his full, in-depth thoughts on the 2026 Belmont Stakes runners below.
WATCH: THE JURY: Belmont Stakes Preview with Eddie Olczyk
Eddie Olczyk Belmont Picks: “I Think The Race Is Gunna Be Set Up For Him”
“Well, 100% I was going to pick him in the Kentucky Derby, but RENEGADE ended up on the rail and I wasn’t too keen on where he ended up – coming second to Golden Tempo, who was my third-placed pick in the race so I ended up getting lucky on the exacta, even though Emerging Markets was the main horse I picked in the Derby. “
“But I think the race (Belmont) is going to set up absolutely perfect for RENEGADE. I think he is the best equine athlete in this race. “
“I also think he’ll get a perfect trip. Last time I feel the excuses were plentiful in the Derby and has since had plenty of time to come back. The race sets up and we have to trust connections (Todd Pletcher).”
“I’d be happy with 5/2, but I don’t know if I’m gunna get it. But sometimes you just have to take what the track gives you.”
“I’m ALL IN ON RENEGADE.”
“I just feel he is the best horse and the race sets up for him and he can show everybody the type of horse he is here. “
“Despite picking him in the Derby, I just don’t see things breaking right for Golden Tempo. So I’ll be using Emerging Markets and Chief Wallabee too.”
🥇Eddie Olczyk Belmont Stakes Pick: RENEGADE
WATCH: Eddie Olczyk’s Belmont Stakes Pick Renegade Running 2nd In The Kentucky Derby
Belmont Stakes Date and Race Details 2026
- Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026
- Venue: Saratoga Racecourse
- Race Number: 158th running of the Belmont Stakes
- Distance: 1¼ miles (10 furlongs)
- Surface: Dirt
- Race Type: Grade 1 Thoroughbred race for three-year-olds
- Festival Dates: Wednesday, June 3 through Sunday, June 7, 2026
- Purse: $2 million
See below the nine Belmont Stakes runners heading to Saratoga in 2026.
Belmont Stakes Runners and Post Positions 2026
- Vitruvian Man (Doug O’Neill, Antonio Fresu)
- Powershift (Todd Pletcher, Luis Saez)
- Chief Wallabee (Bill Mott, Junior Alvarado)
- Renegade (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr)
- Ottinho (Chad Brown, Dylan Davis)
- Growth Equity (Chad Brown, Manny Franco)
- Commandement (Brad Cox, John Velazquez)
- Emerging Market (Chad Brown, Flavien Prat)
- Golden Tempo (Cherie DeVaux, Jose Ortiz)
Eddie Olczyk Met Mile Pick 2026: Journalism To Make The Headlines
“I will try and take a stab on the outside runner JOURNALISM, in what is an unbelievable edition of the Met Mile and over the one turn I’ll be hoping he’ll have enough left in the lane to get the job done. “
“I will be very interested to see how this race plays out – especially when you are gunna have a horse like Nysos breaking from the inside for Bob Baffert. “
“Where I overlooked Nysos initially, the so-called one turn out of the shoot at Saratoga – I thought that was a positive check mark for Nysos to be able to run one of his better races. “
“But I’m looking to try and beat Nysos and because he’s down on the inside and do believe there’s a little more speed in here and thought JOURNALISM from the outside post position he’ll be able to sit the trip out and make the one run. “
“No doubt he needed the last race (watch below) – the 1 1/4, I think, is good and shorten up on the outside as there’s going to be some speed and maybe Nysos gets boggled down or gets in behind and doesn’t have the greatest trip.”
“Of the rest, I think Vibe might be aggressive and should be forward here. He could set the tone for this race and could be huge at 15-1. “
🥇Eddie Olczyk Met Mile Pick: JOURNALISM
Eddie Olczyk Manhattan Stakes Pick 2026: Make Me King To Be Crowned
“Added distance will certainly help – I kinda felt – knowing there is going to be pace up front. “
“When these European horses come over, especially in these grass races – it’s difficult to know a lot about these horses. Obviously the stakes runners, like Bright Picture – you can see that they are going to be in a position to be dominating a race like this.”
“If you are willing to take a short price – then feel free.”
“But I just thought MAKE ME KING would have the race set up and possibly get the jump on the others and the so-called closers in the race. “
“For the first time at Churchill Downs I thought he ran an impressive race (2nd, watch below), and with a better post position (3) and enough speed in the race I was really looking for a price. “
“Maybe I’ll box him up with Bright Picture, but MAKE ME KING is my pick and maybe we get lucky with the exacta.”
🥇Eddie Olczyk Manhattan Stakes Pick: MAKE ME KING
Who Is Eddie Olczyk? The Horse Racing Handicapper
Plenty of racing fans will already have formed their own opinions ahead of Saturday’s 158th running of the Belmont Stakes, as this latest crop of three-year-olds bid to land The Run for the Carnations.
Even so, whether you’re a seasoned punter or simply follow the sport from afar, there’s always plenty of interest in hearing what the leading voices in racing have to say – and NBC’s Eddie Olczyk certainly falls into that category.
Many will know Olczyk from his 16-year NHL career, during which he represented six different teams, including the Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins.
He later returned to Pittsburgh as head coach in 2003.
Eddie Olczyk Horse Racing Picks 2026
After stepping away from hockey, Olczyk moved into broadcasting with NBC, covering the NHL.
That role eventually gave him the opportunity to bring his passion for horse racing to television too, with the network recruiting him as both an analyst and handicapper.
Since then, he has become one of the familiar voices behind some of the biggest races in America, covering the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Breeders’ Cup and Preakness Stakes for NBC.
That makes his 2026 Preakness predictions well worth noting, especially after he landed a 1-2 finish in the 2026 Kentucky Derby when Golden Tempo won at 231/10 (watch below).
Plus, Olczyk found the winner of the 2026 Preakness Stakes, when Napoleon Solo landed the race at Pimlico (watch below).
