From the back of the pack to the front of racing history, Golden Tempo delivered a jaw-dropping finish Saturday, charging from dead last to win the 152nd Run for the Roses in a photo finish that will be talked about for generations.
At 23-1 odds, Golden Tempo wasn’t supposed to be the story.
But by the time the field thundered down the stretch at Churchill Downs, that script had been completely rewritten.
With jockey Jose Ortiz weaving through traffic and then swinging wide, Golden Tempo exploded past the field in the final strides, surging from 13th to first and edging out favorite Renegade by a nose in a breathtaking finish. Longshot Ocelli (70-1) completed the trifecta.
The official time: 2:02.27.
And the moment? Unforgettable.
For trainer Cherie DeVaux, it was more than a victory, it was history.
DeVaux became the first female trainer ever to win the Kentucky Derby, breaking through a barrier that had stood for more than a century. Before Saturday, only 17 women had even started a horse in the Derby. None had ever worn the roses.
Until now. In a wide-open field lacking a dominant favorite, much of the attention had centered on Arkansas Derby winner Renegade, Florida Derby champion Commandment, Santa Anita Derby winner So Happy, and Bill Mott-trained Chief Wallabee. But as the race unfolded, Golden Tempo lingered far off the pace, seemingly out of contention as the field rounded the final turn.
Then came the run. What began as a distant rally quickly turned into a full-blown charge. Ortiz threaded his way through a wall of horses before finding daylight on the outside, and once Golden Tempo saw it, there was no stopping him.
Stride by stride, the longshot closed the gap.
Step by step, the improbability became inevitable.
At the wire, it was Golden Tempo by the slimmest of margins — a finish so tight, it took a photo to confirm what the crowd had just witnessed.
The payouts reflected the shock:
• Golden Tempo (23-1): $48.24
• Renegade (5-1): $7.14
• Ocelli (70-1): $36.34
• $2 Exacta: $278.86 For a race built on tradition, Saturday delivered something entirely new, a stunning upset, a historic breakthrough, and a reminder of why the Derby remains the most unpredictable two minutes in sports.
And on this day, it belonged to a horse no one saw coming… until it was too late.
