Kentucky Derby 2026 Results: Golden Tempo Wins at 23-1 as Cherie DeVaux Makes History

By Emma Davis · May 5, 2026

Golden Tempo, a 23-1 longshot, rallied from dead last (18th place) to win the 152nd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3, 2026. Trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first woman ever to saddle a Derby winner. Jockey Jose Ortiz guided the stunning come-from-behind victory, earning a $3.1 million purse.

How Did Golden Tempo Win from Last Place?

This wasn't supposed to happen. Golden Tempo broke poorly and sat in 18th position — dead last — through the first half mile. The early pace was blistering, with front-runners burning each other out through fractions of :22.4 and :45.8.

Jockey Jose Ortiz kept his cool. Rather than panic, he let Golden Tempo settle into rhythm along the rail, saving ground on both turns. Entering the far turn, horses ahead started fading. Ortiz angled wide into the stretch with a wall of tired horses in front of him, and Golden Tempo exploded.

The final furlong was devastating. Golden Tempo passed 12 horses in the stretch alone, hitting the wire with a length and a half to spare over Renegade. The Trakus data showed Golden Tempo's final quarter in :23.9 — the fastest closing fraction of the entire field.

What Are the Full 2026 Kentucky Derby Results?

Payout highlights: A $2 win bet on Golden Tempo returned $48.80. The trifecta with a 70-1 third-place finisher paid massive for anyone lucky enough to box these three.

Why Is Cherie DeVaux's Win Historic?

In 152 runnings of the Kentucky Derby, no female trainer had ever won the race. That changed on May 3, 2026.

DeVaux has been building toward this moment for years. She worked under Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott before going independent, steadily developing a reputation for patience and horsemanship over hype. Her approach with Golden Tempo was characteristic — she skipped the obvious prep races, choosing an unconventional path that kept the horse fresh.

"I just believed in my horse," DeVaux said after the race. "Everyone said the post position was bad, the pace scenario was wrong. But I know this horse. He runs his best when you let him be himself."

The victory is a landmark for women in horse racing — a sport where female jockeys, trainers, and owners have historically been underrepresented at the highest level despite making up a significant portion of the industry's workforce.

What Does This Mean for the Triple Crown?

Golden Tempo is now the favorite heading into the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. The race is scheduled for May 17, 2026 — just two weeks away.

The last horse to win the Triple Crown was Justify in 2018. Golden Tempo's closing running style could actually translate well to the shorter Preakness distance (1 3/16 miles vs. the Derby's 1 1/4 miles), where pace tends to be less suicidal and closers have a better tactical setup.

However, history is not kind to Derby closers in the Preakness. Horses that rally from far back tend to need a specific pace meltdown — and the Preakness field is usually smaller (typically 8-10 horses vs. 18-20 in the Derby), meaning less traffic and less chaos to exploit.

What Were the Betting Implications?

This was a terrible day for favorites bettors. The top three betting choices all finished out of the money. The result reinforced a trend in recent Derbies — five of the last eight winners went off at double-digit odds.

Key betting takeaways:

• Closers are alive in the Derby. Despite the conventional wisdom that pace-pressing horses have an advantage at Churchill, the 2026 edition proved that a genuine closer with tactical speed can overcome a bad trip.
• Trainer form > public perception. DeVaux's horses were running at a 28% win rate in the two months before the Derby — a sharp angle that most casual bettors missed.
• Post position 15 can win. Many bettors automatically discount outside posts. Golden Tempo proved this is a bias, not a rule.