Why Golden Tempo won’t race in Preakness after winning Kentucky Derby, shutting down Triple Crown hopes
Despite being a 36-1 underdog prior to the starting gates opening, Golden Tempo was victorious at the 152nd Kentucky Derby. It remains to be seen, however, if the horse will suit up for the Preakness Stakes later this month.
A win in the Preakness Stakes would mean Golden Tempo sits just one race away from the Triple Crown, which hasn’t been achieved since Justify in 2018. Whether he will get the chance was unclear immediately after he won at Churchill Downs.
Here’s what Golden Tempo’s owner, Daisy Phipps Pulito, said right after her horse won.
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Will Golden Tempo run the Preakness Stakes?
On May 6, trainer Cherie Devaux released a statement on social media stating that Golden Tempo would not be racing at this year’s Preakness Stakes. This is the second year in a row that the Kentucky Derby winner has not been present at the second Triple Crown race. Here is Devaux’s statement:
Preakness announcement pic.twitter.com/8JQu7VZlRC
— Cherie DeVaux (@reredevaux) May 6, 2026
Phipps Pulito was non-committal on whether her horse would be present at the Preakness Stakes just following the Kentucky Derby win.
Golden Tempo to the Preakness Stakes??? pic.twitter.com/4yyTwHczzS
— Kenny Nero (@BoynvtureNero) May 2, 2026
«I don’t know yet,» said Phipps Pulito. «We’re going to have to see how he comes out of the race, talk to Cherie, and just discuss that.»
Last year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Soverignty, did not race at the Preakness Stakes. Bill Mott, the horse’s trainer, wanted his horse to focus on the Belmont Stakes that June. During the Belmont race, Sovereignty was victorious again, which caused some racing fans to ask whether or not the horse was capable of winning the first Triple Crown since Justify in 2018.
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No Kentucky Derby-winning horse has also been victorious at the Preakness since Justify’s 2018 win en route to a Triple Crown. 2024’s champion Mystik Dan finished second, while 2023 champion Mage finished third. The past two Kentucky Derby winners to also win the Preakness, Justify and American Pharaoh, went on to finish the ultimate race at Belmont to claim a Triple Crown.
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When is the Preakness Stakes?
This year’s Preakness Stakes will be on Saturday, May 16, according to the race’s website.
Each year, with the exception of the pandemic in 2020, the Preakness is always held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and followed by the Belmont Stakes three weeks later. That makes the Preakness the third Saturday in May each year.
Due to the quick turnaround, many trainers are hesitant to have their horses race in the second race of the Triple Crown. It can leave the horse at risk of a scratch if its health isn’t up to par.
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