On May 2, 2026 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Golden Tempo delivered a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the 152nd Kentucky Derby, winning at morning-line odds of 23-1. Jockey Jose Ortiz guided the colt from last into a narrow nose victory over favorite Renegade, covering the 1 1/4-mile race in 2:02.27. Trainer Cherie DeVaux, 44, became the first woman to saddle a Kentucky Derby winner and the second woman to win any U.S. Triple Crown race. The result produced large payouts and extended a recent trend of longshot winners at America’s premier race.
Key takeaways
- Golden Tempo (19) won the 152nd Kentucky Derby at 23-1 and finished in 2:02.27, edging Renegade by a nose.
- Trainer Cherie DeVaux is the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby and the second woman to win a Triple Crown race.
- Renegade (5-1), ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., placed second; Ocelli (70-1) finished third.
- Payouts: $2 win on Golden Tempo paid $48.24; $2 exacta (19-1) paid $278.86; $1 trifecta (19-1-22) paid $11,250.78; $1 superfecta paid $94,489.95.
- The favorite has not won the Derby since Justify in 2018; longshot winners since 2019 include Country House (65-1), Rich Strike (80-1), Mage (15-1) and Mystik Dan (18-1).
- Great White was scratched late after throwing jockey Alex Achard as horses loaded, forcing a re-load and altering race-day wagering pools.
Background
The Kentucky Derby has long blended sport, spectacle and high-stakes wagering; its 1 1/4-mile Run for the Roses frequently produces surprise outcomes that reshape breeding and racing narratives. In recent editions, bettors have seen several longshot winners, reversing an earlier streak when favorites prevailed between 2013 and 2018. That volatility has fueled larger exotic payouts and renewed public interest in stretch-running closers.
Cherie DeVaux’s victory marks a milestone in a race that for decades offered few training opportunities for women at the highest level. Before Saturday, only 17 female trainers had ever started a horse in the Derby; none had won. DeVaux, raised in Saratoga Springs and apprenticed to trainers Chuck Simon and Chad Brown, launched her own stable in 2018 and entered Saturday with 1,801 prior starts.
Main event
The post time crowd watched a chaotic early pattern that left Golden Tempo trailing through the first three-quarters of a mile. As the field turned for home the colt was 13th, appearing boxed in and out of contention. From there Jose Ortiz threaded his mount through traffic, steadily gaining ground on the leaders and swinging outside in the stretch to find clear running.
At the wire Golden Tempo held a nose advantage over Renegade, whose late surge under Irad Ortiz Jr. nearly denied the upset. Ocelli, a 70-1 longshot, produced a strong late kick to take third. Chief Wallabee, Danon Bourbon and Incredibolt rounded out the next finishers in a race that shuffled placings throughout the final furlongs.
A late scratch altered the field minutes before the gate: Great White, an unusually large colt, bucked and unseated his jockey Alex Achard during loading and was withdrawn. Officials ordered the field to re-load and the betting pools adjusted to the scratch, contributing to the size of some payouts.
Analysis & implications
DeVaux’s win advances several intersecting storylines. For the sport’s diversity narrative it is arguably the most visible milestone in modern American racing — a first female trainer in the Derby winner’s circle. It also underlines how training career paths that began in major centers like Saratoga can lead to flagship successes on the national stage.
From a wagering perspective the result reinforces the Derby’s recent pattern of aiding late-closers and underdogs, a trend bettors have exploited since 2019. Larger-than-expected payouts on exotics like the trifecta and superfecta reflect both the scratch and the placement of multiple high-odds finishers in the top positions. Track dynamics, pace projections and a split early tempo likely favored a deep close.
Sporting consequences will ripple to the Triple Crown trail. Golden Tempo’s connections now face strategic choices about aiming for the Preakness (mid-May) versus spacing out for longer-term targets; a Preakness start would test the colt on a shorter turnaround and often different track speed. Breeding valuations and stallion/mare prospects also rise sharply after a Derby win, especially for a high-visibility upset.
Comparison & data
| Finish | Horse | Odds (morning line) | Notable payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Tempo | 23-1 | $2 win: $48.24 |
| 2 | Renegade | 5-1 | $2 place (Renegade): $7.14 |
| 3 | Ocelli | 70-1 | $2 show (Ocelli): $36.34 |
| 4 | Chief Wallabee | 7-1 | — |
| 5 | Danon Bourbon | 14-1 | — |
The exotic results produced striking numbers: the $2 exacta (19-1) paid $278.86; the $1 trifecta (19-1-22) returned $11,250.78; the $1 superfecta paid $94,489.95. Those figures are consistent with a scratch plus an unexpected alignment of high-odds runners in the top four.
Reactions & quotes
Officials, media and the racing community responded quickly to the upset and DeVaux’s milestone.
Churchill Downs posted the official result and confirmed Golden Tempo as the winner of the 152nd Kentucky Derby after a photo review at the finish.
Churchill Downs (official results)
Live coverage from national outlets highlighted the historic nature of a first female trainer winning the Derby and noted the race’s dramatic final stretch.
Yahoo Sports (live coverage)
Racing commentators and handicappers on broadcast and social feeds pointed to the race’s pace and late traffic as key factors enabling a deep closer like Golden Tempo to prevail.
Racing media and analysts (industry commentary)
Unconfirmed
- Whether Golden Tempo’s connections will enter the colt in the Preakness Stakes remains unannounced at the time of publication.
- No official long-form quotes from Cherie DeVaux or Jose Ortiz were available in the initial live dispatches; full post-race interviews are pending.
- Detailed veterinary reports on any horses involved in incidents during loading (beyond the reported Great White scratch) have not yet been released.
Bottom line
Golden Tempo’s nose victory at Churchill Downs is both a sporting upset and a historic milestone for women in training. Cherie DeVaux’s achievement alters a long-standing record book item — the Derby finally has a female-winning trainer — and will be a focal point of press coverage and industry discussion.
For bettors and racing strategists the result is another reminder that the Derby’s unique conditions favor unpredictability: race-day scratches, pace scenarios and traffic can produce outsized payouts. Attention now turns to whether Golden Tempo will pursue the Preakness and how this result will affect breeding valuations and future stakes assignments.