Golden Tempo Wins 152nd Kentucky Derby

The 152nd Kentucky Derby took place on Saturday, marking a significant achievement as it was the first time a female trainer, Shelley DeVoe, won. Her horse, Golden Tempo, a three-year-old bay Thoroughbred colt, surged down the final stretch of the 1 1/8-mile race, securing DeVoe’s first victory in a Triple Crown race. This victory also made her just the second woman in history to win at this level.

Golden Tempo, with jockey Jose Ortiz aboard, crossed the finish line triumphantly, causing a stir as it defeated the early favorite, Renegade. An emotional DeVoe expressed her disbelief on NBC, saying, “I have no words right now.”

It was also a landmark moment for Ortiz, as he won the Derby for the first time after 11 attempts, beating his younger brother, Irad Ortiz, Jr., who was riding for the respected trainer Todd Pletcher.

Renegade had pulled ahead during the final stretch and nearly made history by winning after starting from the inside post, but Golden Tempo’s late push proved to be too much.

Pletcher had commented before the race, highlighting some uncertainty around his horse’s chances: “It’s not ideal, but that’s what we got and we’ll do the best we can with it.”

Prior to the race, the field had been narrowed to 19 due to a mountain lion that sustained an injury and a skin infection. Another horse, Corona de Ora, was left out after missing the substitution deadline. A few other contenders were also scratched, including Great White, who flipped over while being loaded into the gate.

In contrast to the previous year’s sloppy track conditions, this Derby benefited from a drier day. Only an hour before the race, Churchill Downs reported good track conditions with limited precipitation. However, it was noticeably colder than usual at 54 degrees, and this temperature was significantly below the average for May in Louisville.

Historically, the coldest Derby days occurred in 1940 and 1957, when temperatures dropped to 36 degrees, accompanied by strong winds.