Golden Tempo: A Historic Victory at the 2026 Kentucky Derby

The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby took place on May 2, 2026, at Churchill Downs. Known as "The Run for the Roses," the race is the first leg of the American Triple Crown, featuring three-year-old thoroughbreds competing over a 1.25-mile dirt track.The 2026 race concluded with a historic upset as Golden Tempo, a bay colt ridden by jockey José Ortiz, secured victory at 23-1 odds. Sired by two-time American Horse of the Year Curlin and out of the dam Carrumba, Golden Tempo is owned in partnership by Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable. Golden Tempo's performance was remarkable for its dramatic comeback. Early in the race, the colt trailed in last place. Entering the final stretch, he was still in 13th position. Opting for the outside lane, Golden Tempo weaved through the field to overtake the frontrunners, ultimately edging out second-place finisher Renegade by a neck in the final moments with a winning time of 2:02.27.This victory marked a significant milestone in racing history, as Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to ever win the Kentucky Derby. She is only the second female trainer to win any Triple Crown race.The race yielded massive payouts for bettors, particularly on exotic wagers. The official top-four results and payouts were:1st Place: Golden Tempo (Win: $48.24, Place: $19.14, Show: $11.90).2nd Place: Renegade (Place: $7.14, Show: $5.45).3rd Place: Ocelli, who ran as a massive longshot at 70-1 to 80-1 odds (Show: $36.34).4th Place: Chief Wallabee.Because of the long odds on both Golden Tempo and Ocelli, the exotic payouts were enormous: a $2 Exacta bet paid $278.86, a $1 Trifecta paid $11,250.78, and a $1 Superfecta yielded a staggering $94,489.95.Prior to the race, the landscape of the field experienced several shifts. The pre-race favorite was So Happy at 5-1 odds, alongside other top contenders like Commandment and Further Ado. Chief Wallabee, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, was heavily hyped as a "wiseguy" pick after putting in impressive morning workouts and uniquely adding blinkers for the race in an attempt to keep the horse focused.Meanwhile, the field was narrowed by multiple scratches, including The Puma, Right to Party, Silent Tactic, Fulleffort, and Corona de Oro. In a dramatic incident just minutes before post time, Great White was also scratched after rearing and flipping over.Beyond the competition, the event continued its long-standing cultural traditions, most notably the serving of the mint julep. Though the drink traces its ancient origins to a Persian medicinal rose water tonic called "gulab," it became the signature drink of the Derby in the 1930s when the event introduced commemorative cups, further cementing its southern charm and its association with Kentucky bourbon.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/champions-network--6884663/support.