Golden Tempo’s last-to-first victory at 23.12-1 odds within the $5 million Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve offered horse racing followers with a traditionally vital grand finale to cap an unforgettable slate of stakes races during the last week at Churchill Downs. Listed below are the 12 key takeaways from Longines Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby weekend underneath the Twin Spires.
HISTORIC MOMENT: How might the primary takeaway be something aside from Cherie DeVaux changing into the primary lady to coach a Kentucky Derby winner? DeVaux was the 18th lady to saddle a runner within the first jewel of the Triple Crown and Golden Tempo charged from greater than 17 lengths again to make historical past for his coach. DeVaux was an assistant to each Chuck Simon, a beloved determine in racing who died of most cancers in September 2024, and five-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown earlier than venturing out on her personal in 2018. DeVaux received a Breeders’ Cup race in 2024 (Extra Than Appears, FanDuel Mile) and now owns a win within the marquee race in North America.
“I began my profession right here 22 years in the past as a brilliant‑eyed, bushy‑tailed train rider. And I might not imagine that I might be sitting up right here as we speak. By no means in my life did I believe I might,” DeVaux stated after the Derby. “And Chuck [Simon], he can be so proud. I’m right here due to him, as a result of he pushed me. He pushed my boundaries. He gave me route after I wanted it, and he was at all times happy with me.”
SWEET SWEEP: Jockey Jose Ortiz received three graded stakes on Friday’s card at Churchill Downs, capped by his second profession win the Kentucky Oaks when he guided At all times a Runner to a 1 ¼-length victory over recreation runner-up That means. He then grew to become the ninth jockey to finish the Oaks-Kentucky Derby sweep – and the second in three years, becoming a member of Brian Hernandez Jr. in 2024 – when he overcame a 10-wide journey to seize the Derby with Golden Tempo. “Unbelievable weekend. It’s the results of all of the onerous work I put in for the final 15 years,” Ortiz stated. “I simply need to be grateful. I really feel blessed to be right here.”
BROTHERLY LOVE: Profitable jockey Jose Ortiz and his older brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., shared a second bumping fists previous the end line after working one-two within the 2026 Kentucky Derby. Jose aboard Golden Tempo swept previous Renegade, ridden by Irad, within the closing strides with each elite riders in search of their first Kentucky Derby win. The tight end was extremely emotional for each brothers, one incomes an important win of his profession and the opposite coming tantalizingly near an elusive win in his tenth attempt. “I need him to win the Derby, after all. I do know it’s his dream as properly, however it occurred my means,” Jose Ortiz advised NBC after the brothers grew to become the primary pair to complete first and second within the Derby. “I believe he needs to be completely satisfied, his horse ran a really good race. It’s a really good horse. It was my 12 months, as we speak’s my day. It was Golden Tempo’s day.”
SO CLOSE, YET SO FAR: Proprietor Mike Repole has lengthy coveted a win within the Kentucky Derby. He’s received numerous essential races such because the Belmont Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Basic as one of many main homeowners within the sport of horse racing, and it regarded like Repole’s ninth Kentucky Derby starter (alone or in partnership), Renegade, may ship that prized Derby win in deep stretch earlier than Golden Tempo surged previous within the closing strides. One of many profitable homeowners was Repole’s frequent accomplice Vincent Viola, and Repole was gracious in defeat: “I’m truly extra upset that Irad misplaced than me. That child rode his ass off,” he advised BloodHorse. “Take into consideration Irad’s mother and father, one-two within the Derby. Cherie [DeVaux], first feminine profitable the Derby. If I wasn’t within the race, I might have rooted for her. It’s all nice. That is what racing is meant to be about.”
A MAIDEN IN THE DERBY? ALMOST: Frivolously regarded Wooden Memorial Stakes Offered by Resorts World On line casino third-place finisher Ocelli practically pulled off a Kentucky Derby upset on the extent of Wealthy Strike’s 80-1 shocker in 2022. Ocelli charged to the lead at 70.50-1 odds close to the sixteenth pole underneath Tyler Gaffalione however couldn’t maintain off fast-closing winner Golden Tempo and runner-up Renegade. Ocelli’s bid to turn into the primary maiden (a horse who has by no means received a race) to win the Kentucky Derby since Brokers Tip in 1933 got here up a size brief in a gutsy third-place end for coach Whit Beckman. “As he was coming down the stretch and I noticed him with an opportunity to win – my thoughts went clean,” Beckman stated. “Then I snapped again in and noticed him end. I’m so happy with him and he confirmed he belongs with all these good horses.”
ONE OF THESE YEARS: Japan has been a constant presence within the Kentucky Derby since 2022 with 9 Japan-raced runners competing within the first jewel of the Triple Crown within the final 5 editions. Endlessly Younger got here terribly near profitable the Derby when third and crushed by a head by winner Mystik Dan and by a nostril by runner-up Sierra Leone in an exciting three-horse photograph end in 2024. It regarded for a quick second prefer it might be Japan’s day Saturday at Churchill when Danon Bourbon seized command getting into the and shook clear to a two-length lead, however urgent a strong tempo caught as much as him within the last furlong of a gritty fifth-place end. Danon Bourbon will probably be shipped again to Japan on Tuesday.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO: Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winner Additional Ado was a lukewarm favourite coming off what was the quickest Kentucky Derby prep win from any contender, an 11-length romp 70 miles or so east of Louisville at Keeneland Race Course that earned monster velocity figures. There’s at all times concern {that a} evenly raced horse may react negatively after a career-best effort, and Additional Ado was by no means actually an element after some jostling between horses early within the race. He completed eleventh, crushed by 7 ¾ lengths, underneath Corridor of Fame jockey John Velazquez. “I had an ideal journey,” Velazquez stated. “He didn’t have any struggle and I didn’t have sufficient to struggle on with.”
ALWAYS IMPROVING: Discuss a 3-year-old filly on the rise, At all times a Runner appears that and maybe way more. The Gun Runner filly delivered a monster effort in solely her third profession begin to defeat 12 opponents within the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks Friday at Churchill. She completed 1 ¼ lengths away from Santa Anita Oaks Offered by Surfside winner That means to enhance to 3 wins in as many begins and provides coach Chad Brown his first win within the Kentucky Oaks. Brown stated At all times a Runner, whose profession was delayed by sickness, will probably be shipped to Saratoga Race Course to start preparations for a summer season marketing campaign. “She had a really severe case of pneumonia,” Brown stated. “When horses expertise issues like that, we simply needed to take issues day-to-day. Her profession was actually up within the air. I by no means imagined she’d get to this present day.”
ELVIS IS IN THE BUILDING: T O Elvis shipped over from Japan using a dominant four-race profitable streak and overwhelmed a proficient area within the $1 million Churchill Downs Stakes introduced by Ford in a 3 ¼-length runaway victory. He defeated amongst 10 opponents final 12 months’s Breeders’ Cup Dash runner-up Creativeness and dazzling a number of graded stakes winner Knightsbridge, finishing seven furlongs in 1:20.49 whereas simply lacking the observe report of 1:20.44 set by Groupie Doll Could 5, 2012. T O Elvis missed a deliberate begin in Dubai because of the struggle in Iran however coach Daisuke Takayanagi had him a lot match and he received a terrific trip from jockey Ryusei Sakai to win at 5.87-1 odds after a ton of late cash poured in on him to win.
PERSISTENT PROBLEM: I perceive that Pc-Assisted Wagering (CAWs) – high-volume betting syndicates utilizing algorithms to put bets on horses that profile pretty much as good worth, usually proper earlier than the race begins – generates a ton of deal with for horse racing and wagering {dollars} finally drive the game. There is also little doubt T O Elvis was a a lot stronger contender within the Churchill Downs Stakes than his 30-1 morning-line odds urged. However it’s nonetheless so disheartening on racing’s greatest stage to see his odds plummet from 12-1 to 5-1 after leaving the beginning gate with a lot cash within the swimming pools. I don’t imagine something nefarious occurred reminiscent of bets being positioned after the race started, however it’s onerous to encourage new bettors and to retain the invested gamblers the game already has when situations like this occur with such regularity. It’s an actual downside. I want I had the answer.
GRASS IS GREENER: Coach Michael McCarthy opted to bypass the Kentucky Derby with Jeff Ruby Steaks runner-up Stark Distinction in favor of a return to the grass for the $1 million American Turf Stakes and he was rewarded with the Caravaggio colt’s first profession Grade 1 win. Stark Distinction proved a lot the very best at 6-5 odds in a 2 ¼-length victory underneath Flavien Prat. “He’s horse; he’s an excellent horse,” Prat stated.
HIGH OCTANE: Crude Velocity regarded each bit the rising star for Corridor of Fame coach Bob Baffert n an attention grabbing 3 ¾-length win within the $750,000 Pat Day Mile Stakes introduced by SAP. The Beau Liam colt improved to 3-for-3 in profitable his stakes debut and handed extremely regarded runner-up Englishman his first defeat whereas finishing the mile in 1:33.87, about three-fifths of a second off the observe report. Crude Victory might be a really fascinating addition to the Preakness Stakes Could 16, ought to Baffert choose to focus on the center jewel of the Triple Crown. “This horse is a freaky horse. He’s so proficient,” Baffert stated. “If he stays wholesome, we’ll be listening to from this horse down the street.”
