Golden Tempo’s run to the finish line in the Kentucky Derby was one for the ages.
The horse, trained by Cherie DeVaux, went from 18th to first in roughly 45 seconds to win the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday. DeVaux became the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby and just the second woman to train a horse that has won a Triple Crown race.
Golden Tempo is a horse that likes to lay back at the beginning of races before a furious closing rally. And to describe what the horse and jockey Jose Ortiz did in the final stretch of the derby as furious might be an understatement.
Here’s how Ortiz guided Golden Tempo to first at the line ahead of Renegade and Ocelli.
FROM LAST PLACE TO KENTUCKY DERBY GLORY, WHAT A RACE FOR GOLDEN TEMPO! 🐎
📺 The 152nd Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yUIczKx4SX
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 2, 2026
Just look at how Golden Tempo split two horses before having to go inside of another to gain three spots. And then Ortiz swung Golden Tempo out wide — and even wider — to get past 14 more horses on the way to the finish line.
Golden Tempo was even 13th after the final corner before going so far to the outside that Ortize had the horse in the middle of the track. 10 horses were to Golden Tempo’s outside before the final charge intensified and he snuck past Renegade at the finish line.