Golden Tempo, a 23-1 underdog, delivered a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the 152nd Kentucky Derby.
Golden Tempo turned the 152nd Run for the Roses into a comeback story for the ages, charging from deep in the field to claim the Kentucky Derby.
Entering the race at 23-1, the colt’s path to victory was anything but straightforward.. With jockey Jose Ortiz steering the way. Golden Tempo moved up through the middle and then swung to the outside before taking command late. making up ground estimated at roughly 15 to 20 lengths to reach the front.
Ortiz’s ride set the tone as he navigated traffic and timed the acceleration for the crucial stretch. The result was a thrilling finish in which Golden Tempo held off Renegade by a neck to secure the win.
This matters because it underscores what Derby weekends reward most: not just speed, but the ability to trust the pace, find running room at the right moment, and finish with authority.
In the post-race conversation, trainer Cherie DeVaux, the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner, reflected on the way the victory played out. She pointed to Golden Tempo’s natural style and described a moment when the outcome started to feel inevitable as the colt reached the final stages.
Commandment, one of the favorites, had a tougher afternoon, struggling with conditioning and failing to advance through the field as the race unfolded, finishing seventh. Meanwhile, Ocelli, a 70-1 longshot who was added after a scratch, rallied to take third.
At the heart of the day was a classic Derby combination of patience and precision, with Ortiz positioning Golden Tempo for the late surge and the colt delivering when it mattered most.
Ultimately, Golden Tempo’s late rally reshapes how this Derby will be remembered, because races like this become history the moment an underdog proves the gap on paper can close in a matter of strides.