The projected field for the 2026 Belmont Stakes continued to shift this week, with Potente no longer expected to run and Vitruvian Man moving into the probable lineup for the final leg of the Triple Crown. The Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, June 6 at Saratoga Race Course, where it will again be contested at 1 1/4 miles while Belmont Park remains under renovation.

Potente had been part of the Belmont discussion following his run in the Kentucky Derby, but the Bob Baffert trainee is now expected to skip the race. His removal changes the shape of a field that has continued to evolve as connections finalize plans in the days leading up to June 6th.

Vitruvian Man has now entered the picture for trainer Doug O’Neill. The son of Vino Rosso most recently finished third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and is expected to make his next start in the Belmont Stakes. Antonio Fresu, who rode him in the Santa Anita Derby, is expected to have the mount.

The expected field remains led by several of the most prominent names from the 3-year-old division, including Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo and Derby runner-up Renegade. Commandment, Chief Wallabee, Emerging Market, Growth Equity, Ottinho, Ocelli, and Powershift are also among the horses listed as probable or under consideration.

Growth Equity adds another notable angle after winning the Peter Pan Stakes, a traditional New York prep for the Belmont. Emerging Market and Ottinho give Chad Brown additional possible representation, while Powershift gives Todd Pletcher another potential runner alongside Renegade. Maiden Ocelli will be the only 3-year-old to contest all three legs of the Triple Crown.

With Potente out and Vitruvian Man in, the Belmont field is beginning to take clearer shape, though final entries and post positions will still determine the official lineup. As the race approaches, the final leg of the Triple Crown is again setting up as a major test for these horses with a unique twist on this years version as it heads to upstate New York.