2026 Kentucky Derby results: Golden Tempo makes history under first female trainer to win Run for the Roses

Golden Tempo (23-1) made history at the 152nd Kentucky Derby, as the 19 horse pulled off an improbable stretch run from the outside to edge out co-favorite Renegade (5-1) at the finish line and make Cherie DeVaux the first female trainer to have a horse win the Run for the Roses.

Golden Tempo came from well back in the pack after they came around the final turn, but a comfortable race pace meant most of the field came into the stretch with a chance to win with a great kick. It was jockey Jose Ortiz who was able to get the most out of his horse on that closing stretch to outrun Renegade and the rest of the field to the wire and make some Kentucky Derby history in the process.

“It is a family sport for us,” Golden Tempo owner Daisy Phipps Pulito said after the race. “Almost our whole family is here today, and the Violas, our extended family who we get to campaign the horse with. It’s life changing for all of us to win the Kentucky Derby when you win a race like this, it’s the pinnacle of our sport.”

Coming in third was a longshot, Ocelli, while last year’s winning jockey and trainer combo of John Velasquez and Bill Mott had Chief Wallabee come in fourth in their attempt at a repeat bid.

2026 Kentucky Derby results

1. Golden Tempo (23-1)
2. Renegade (5-1)
3. Ocelli (70-1)
4. Chief Wallabee (7-1)
5. Danon Bourbon (14-1)
6. Incredibolt (27-1)
7. Commandment (7-1)
8. Wonder Dean (20-1)
9. So Happy (6-1)
10. Emerging Market (11-1)
11. Further Ado (7-1)
12. Potente (23-1)
13. Six Speed (40-1)
14. Robusta (50-1)
15. Albus (50-1)
16. Intrepido (55-1)
17. Litmus Test (34-1)
18. Pavlovian (51-1)

Coming into the race it was expected to be a wide open Run for the Roses, as three horses closed as co-favorites at 5-1, and that uncertainty proved out in the race as a bunched field made for a wild race to the finish, with Golden Tempo coming out victorious from the 19 post.

“In the summer of 2017, I was really at a crossroads in life,” DeVaux said. “And [my husband] told me I owed it to myself to at least try [horse training] and he had the faith in me and saw what I didn’t see.”

The race was drama-filled from before the start, as the 21 horse, Great White, was a late scratch at the starting gate after he bucked off his jockey and flipped over backwards. Veterinarians on site opted to scratch Great White and take him back to the paddock, causing the rest of the field to unload from the gate, circle around and re-post.

Once the race began, the 18 remaining horses ran the mile-and-a-quarter race without any more incident, ultimately ending in a thrilling victory for Golden Tempo, Ortiz and DeVaux.