LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Long shot Golden Tempo made a stretch run for the ages, coming from dead last to win the 152nd Run for the Roses. In the process, Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer ever to win the Kentucky Derby.
In a Derby without a strong favorite, most of the public’s attention was on Arkansas Derby winner Renegade, Florida Derby winner Commandment, Santa Anita Derby winner So Happy and Bill Mott trainee Chief Wallabee.
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But it was Golden Tempo, trained by DeVaux and ridden by Jose Ortiz, who went off at 23-1 and found itself in last place entering the final turns only to sweep past a tight pack in the stretch run to win by a nose over favorite Renegade. Ocelli, a 70-1 longshot, showed. The winning time was 2:02.27.
The payouts were significant:
Golden Tempo (23-1): $48.24
The stretch run from Golden Tempo was, in a few words, impossible to believe. As the pack entered the final turns, Golden Tempo wasn’t in view of the leaders. As the pack entered the stretch, the 3-year-old had moved up to 13th in the 18-horse race, but still seemingly out of contention. But Ortiz drove through traffic deftly, then found a lane on the outside straight to victory, edging out Renegade at the wire.
Here is an overhead view:
“It’s a dream come true,” a tearful Ortiz said after his first Kentucky Derby victory.
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“I knew my horse was a deep closer, so I don’t have any interest in being in front early. You can see the way I broke, when I go to the rail and save ground.
“So I did that, and I was hoping for a big run late. I was hoping for a fast pace, and I’m glad we had it.”
“There was a lot of speed on tap, on paper, and that materialized,” DeVaux said. “And I watch Jose come up and get himself in position going into the final turn.
“And about the 3/16 pole, I thought we’re probably going to win this. And then, I really kind of blacked out after that.”
After six straight favorites won the Kentucky Derby between 2013-2018, long shots have been more successful lately including 2019 winner Country House (65-1), 2022 winner Rich Strike (80-1), 2023 winner Mage (15-1) and 2024 winner Mystik Dan (18-1).
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Renegade, ridden by Ortiz’s brother Irad Ortiz Jr., finished second. Long shot Ocelli (70-1) finished third.
Prior to Saturday’s running, only 17 female trainers had ever had a horse reach the Derby, and until Saturday, none had ever won. DeVaux, 44, became the first, bettering Shelley Riley’s runner-up finish with Casual Lies in 1992.
Cherie DeVaux trainer of Golden Tempo #19 celebrates after becoming the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby during the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 02, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
(Rob Carr via Getty Images)
DeVaux was born in the racing hotbed of Saratoga Springs, New York, and after learning at the hands of trainers Chuck Simon and Chad Brown, started her own stable in 2018. She’s since recorded 1,801 starts — none bigger than Saturday’s.
“I don’t even have any words right now. I just can’t,” DeVaux said. “Jose did a masterful job at getting him there. He was so far out of it.”
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When asked about the story of this Kentucky Derby being about her becoming the first woman ever to win the Run for the Roses, DeVaux responded, “I’m just glad I don’t have to answer that question anymore.”
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more on the 2026 Kentucky Derby:
Live coverage is over44 updatesSat, May 2, 2026 at 4:14 PM PDT
Kate Magdziuk
Renegade, who entered as the odds favorite to win, finished second behind racehorse Golden Tempo, whose morning line odds were at 23-1.
Here’s a look at the official 2026 Kentucky Derby derby results, including their morning line odds.
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 6:21 PM PDT
Kari Anderson
On Saturday, Golden Tempo sprinted to victory at the 2026 Kentucky Derby, becoming the latest long shot to win. But the impressive win was also a historic one: With Golden Tempo beating out co-favorite Renegade at the finish line, trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win at the Kentucky Derby.
DeVaux trained the bay-colored colt for Phipps Stable, owned by Daisy Phipps Pulito, and St. Elias Stable, owned by Vincent Viola. The horse, set at 23-1 odds heading into the event, picked up the win behind an impressive mad dash from 18th to 1st with jockey Jose Ortiz.
After the race, DeVaux celebrated with her husband, sister, daughter and nephew by her side shedding plenty of tears of joy.
“I’m glad that I could be a representative of all women everywhere that we can do anything we set our minds to,” DeVaux said on the broadcast while holding her young nephew, Maverick.
Read more about the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby.
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 6:18 PM PDT
Jack Baer
The final stretch of the 2026 Kentucky Derby saw race favorite Renegade and longshot Golden Tempo surge forward, with Golden Tempo getting a historic win.
It was a thrilling finish, and also a big day for two brothers.
Jose Ortiz (Golden Tempo) and Irad Ortiz Jr. (Renegade) were the jockeys atop the top two finishing horses at Churchill Downs on Saturday. You probably don’t need us to tell you that’s a first in race history.
The brothers exchanged a fist bump after crossing the finish line.
Jose (left) and Irad Ortiz (right) had a special day on Saturday. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Steph Chambers via Getty Images)
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 5:45 PM PDT
Kate Magdziuk
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 5:29 PM PDT
Kate Magdziuk
I’m not crying … you’re crying.
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 5:22 PM PDT
Kate Magdziuk
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 4:38 PM PDT
Kate Magdziuk
Wondering what you would have won if you placed a perfect bet on the 2026 Kentucky Derby?
Here’s a look at the payouts:
19 – Golden Tempo (23-1) WIN: $48.24 PLACE: $19.14 SHOW: $11.90
1 – Renegade (5-1) PLACE: $7.14 SHOW: $5.46
22 – Ocelli (70-1) SHOW: $36.34
$2.00 EXACTA 19-1 $278.86
$1.00 TRIFECTA 19-1-22 $11,250.78
$1.00 SUPERFECTA 19-1-22-12 $94,489.95
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 4:25 PM PDT
Ben Fawkes
With Golden Tempo (23-1 odds) winning the Derby, it marks the eighth straight year that the favorite hasn’t won the race.
The last time the favorite won was Justify (5-2) back in 2018.
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 4:22 PM PDT
Kari Anderson
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 4:11 PM PDT
Kari Anderson
The 2026 Kentucky Derby is over, and Golden Tempo comes from behind for the win. After starting the stretch far in the back, jockey Jose Ortiz led Golden Tempo across a lot of ground to pass the surging favorite Renegade — whose jockey is none other than Ortiz’s brother, Irad — and win the trophy.
Trainer Cherie Devaux becomes the first female trainer to win the Derby, and the second to win a Triple Crown race. Golden Tempo, entering Saturday with odds of 23-1, is the latest longshot winner to win at Churchill Downs.
The two Ortiz brothers, meanwhile, finish first and second in the race, followed by Ocelli (jockeyed by Joseph Ramos) and Chief Wallabee (jockeyed by last year’s winner, Junior Alvarado).
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 4:08 PM PDT
Kari Anderson
We’ve got a late change right before the race was set to take place. As the horses began to load, Great White — an unusually large horse that stands at nearly six feet tall — began to buck and eventually threw off jockey Alex Achard.
Great White will be a late scratch, and the horses will re-load.
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 4:00 PM PDT
Kate Magdziuk
That’s a lot of people.
And a lot of mint juleps.
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 3:56 PM PDT
Ben Fawkes
The winner of the Kentucky Derby in each of the past seven years has had closing odds of at least 7-1.
Will we see a longer shot win this year?
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 3:55 PM PDT
Kate Magdziuk
The “Riders Up” call for the 20256 Kentucky Derby has officially been made by the Hall of Fame horse racer Pat Day!
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 3:50 PM PDT
Kari Anderson
The jockeys who will be racing today encompass a wide array of ages, experiences, and countries of origin.
Five of the jockeys competing today have won the Kentucky Derby before. Three — Junior Alvarado, Flavien Pratt and Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr. — have picked up one win in the event, while John Velazquez and Mike Smith have won twice at Churchill Downs.
Smith (bottom row, second from right), a 60-year-old veteran jockey who has been racing since the 1980s, is set to make history as the oldest jockey to compete in the Derby.
Which jockey will be the one to take the crown tonight?
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 3:32 PM PDT
Kari Anderson
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 3:31 PM PDT
Ben Fawkes
Less than 30 minutes before the Kentucky Derby, Commandment and So Happy are both 5-1 co-favorites. Renegade and Further Ado are right behind at 6-1, followed by Chief Wallabee at 7-1 and Emerging Market at 9-1.
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 3:24 PM PDT
Kate Magdziuk
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 3:08 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
The Kentucky Derby is also a cultural event. It’s a fashion show with people decked out in stylish suits and flamboyant hats. But it’s also like an awards show where celebrities attend to establish their place in pop culture and yearn to be seen.
If they’re at the Derby and getting their photos taken, they must matter, right? North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick and his girlfriend Jordon Hudson were among the sports celebrities on the scene.
Other non-sports celebrities at the Derby can be seen here.
Sat, May 2, 2026 at 2:56 PM PDT
Kari Anderson
In the final race at Churchill Downs before the signature event, Rhetorical stormed out to a win in the turf-based Race No. 11. Favorite Gold Phoenix got stuck behind the field, giving Rhetorical a chance to pull away.
That’s the final race of the day before the Kentucky Derby itself, which will begin in an hour.