Golden Tempo wins 2026 Kentucky Derby

Golden Tempo captured the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, marking a historic first for female trainers. 

The 3-year-old bay thoroughbred colt charged down the final stretch in the 1 1/8-mile race to give trainer Cherie DeVaux her first Triple Crown race victory. She became the first female trainer to ever win the Kentucky Derby and just the second ever to win a Triple Crown race. 

“I don’t even have any words right now,” an emotional DeVaux said on the NBC broadcast after upsetting the race to overcome early favorite Renegade. 

Jockey Jose Ortiz won the Derby for the first time in his career. It was his 11th attempt, and he beat out his brother Irad, who rode the Todd Pletcher-trained colt.  

Renegade nearly became the first Derby winner out of the inside No. 1 post position in four decades after pulling away from the pack in the final stretch, but it wasn’t enough to overpower Golden Tempo’s final strides.  

“It’s not the one we would have chosen,” Pletcher said before the race, foreshadowing its result. “It’s not ideal, but it’s what we got and we’ll do the best we can with it.”

The field was reduced to 19 instead of the maximum 20 early Saturday morning after The Puma was scratched due to a skin infection. He was ruled out past the deadline for a replacement, leaving Corona de Ora out of the field.

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Silent Tactic, Fulleffort and Right to Party were all scratched in the last four days, but were replaced by Great White, Ocelli and Robusta. 

But just before race time, the field was further reduced to 18 after Great White was scratched after flipping over as the others were loading up.

Track conditions were much better this year as opposed to last year, when Sovereignty crossed the finish line covered in mud after rain poured down at Churchill Downs. According to the historic race venue, the track conditions were fast with good visibility and low precipitation just an hour before post time.  

But the weather was much chillier than years past at 54 degrees just an hour before race time. According to the FOX Forecast Center, the average high in Louisville this time of year is 74 degrees. 

According to data from the National Weather Service in Louisville, the coldest Derby Day on record was on May 4, 1940, and May 4, 1957, when temps reached 36 degrees and were accompanied by 20 to 25 mph winds.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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