Kentucky Derby Introduction
The Kentucky Derby is an American grade stakes race that takes place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The first race occurred on May 17th, 1892. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds and spans a distance at 1 ¼ miles. When the race was first held, it was 1 ½ miles, but has since been shortened. The Kentucky Derby is now held annually on the first Saturday of May. This year, the race was held on May 2nd, 2026.
Derby Titles
The Kentucky Derby has many different names. In the derby, the winning horse is draped in a blanket of roses, coining the term, “The Run for the Roses.” The race also lasts approximately two minutes where the name “the greatest two minutes in sports” comes from, where the trajectory of the race can change in a matter of seconds.
2026 Kentucky Derby Horses
The derby began with 15 horses and is now capped at 20. There are a few alternate horses in case of last-minute scratches. This year the horses are:
1: Renegade
2: Albus
3: Intrepido
4: Litmus Test
5: Right to Party
6: Commandment
7: Danon Bourbon
8: So Happy
9: Wonder Dean
10: Incredibolt
11: Chief Wallabee
14: Potente
15: Emerging Market
16: Pavlovian
17: Six Speed
18: Further Ado
19: Golden Tempo
2026 Kentucky Derby Recap
In the 2026 Kentucky Derby, history was made and odds were defied. Golden Tempo won the 152nd Kentucky Derby in a dashing manner. The race was only run with 18 horses after The Puma was scratched with a swollen leg and Great White fell before the race.
Golden Tempo was nowhere close to being a favorite to win. With so much competition, the odds were stacked against him. Coming out of the starting gate, Six Speed came out strong in a first-place lead down the backstretch. Golden Tempo did not and was in dead last at one point in the race. That was until there was a gap with space for jockey Jose Ortiz and Golden Tempo to take their shot to get through. Ortiz and Golden Tempo took their chance making the racing dash down the stretch and passed every single horse. Golden Tempo went from last to first in a matter of seconds.
Jose Ortiz led Golden Tempo to first, narrowly beating his own brother, Irad Ortiz, who came in second place on Renegade. At the end of the race, photographs were taken of the brothers holding hands as they rode past the finish.
The win was a shock to all, including Golden Tempo’s trainer, Cherie DeVaux. On Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, DeVaux made history as the first woman trainer to win the Kentucky Derby. Videos have gone viral of DeVaux’s reaction to Golden Tempo taking the lead as she grips tightly to the railing, jumps up and down, and shouts, “Go Jose!” as the finish line approaches. When asked if she considers herself a trailblazer, DeVaux said, “I consider myself a horse trainer, I just happen to be female.” She also said, “It’s quite an honor to be the first woman to win the Kentucky Derby.” DeVaux has certainly made history and paved the way for women all over.
The Triple Crown
The Kentucky Derby is part of the Triple Crown. An award for the horse who can win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. Winning the Triple Crown has only been done 13 times. American Pharoah is the most recent winner, earning the crown in 2015.
As of May 5th, Golden Tempo’s trainer and owners were unsure if Golden Tempo would compete for the Triple Crown. DeVaux was evaluating the horse’s health at Keeneland and when asked if Golden Tempo would compete for the Triple Crown, she said they were prioritizing the horse’s health and physical condition. Devaux said, “The horse comes first.”
On May 6th, DeVaux announced that Golden Tempo will skip the Preakness Stakes on May 16th but could still run in the Belmont Stakes on June 6th.
Overall, from intense racing to history making moments and major wins for women, the 152nd Kentucky Derby was one for the books.
