Preakness Stakes: Will Derby Hero Golden Tempo Run in the Middle Jewel?
History was made at Churchill Downs on Saturday, as a record-breaking 19.6 million people tuned in to watch Cherie DeVaux become the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby.
While Golden Tempo was sent off at odds of +2800, his victory wasn’t a huge shock to us, as we flagged him up as one of our main picks to win the opening leg of the Triple Crown.
However, as is always the case, DeVaux was quickly asked ‘Will Golden Tempo run at Laurel Park in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. A decision as to whether the son of Curlin will take his chance in the Preakness Stakes will be officially announced this week.
Record-Breaking Viewers Watch History
The Kentucky Derby is growing year-on-year, but this past weekend’s event saw a staggering 19.6 million people tune in to watch history made at Churchill Downs. It was the largest audience for a Saturday program since the Winter Olympics in February.
The coverage on NBC was excellent, with a lovely bit of foreshadowing before the Derby, seeing Donna Brothers, making her last Churchill Downs pre-race walk, talking with DeVaux. DeVaux would pay homage to Brothers, who was one of the first women to ride in Triple Crown races. Stories make the Derby, and NBC covered every angle of the race, appealing to both the mainstream viewer, as well as those passionate about the sport.
Will Golden Tempo Run in the Preakness Stakes?
There is an incredibly quick turnaround before the Preakness Stakes, ran this year at Laurel Park due to renovations at Pimlico. DeVaux has reiterated that Golden Tempo will be assessed after returning to her Keeneland base, before a final decision on the Preakness will be made before the end of the week.
However, further history could be made if Golden Tempo is pointed toward the Preakness, as no female trainer has ever won the Middle Leg of the Triple Crown. Victory at Laurel Park would then set up potentially one of the most anticipated renewals of the Belmont Stakes in history, as DeVaux and her equine superstar could become the 14th Triple Crown winner.
How Have Kentucky Derby Winners Fared in the Preakness Stakes?
In recent years, Derby winners have tended to bypass the Preakness, with Sovereignty’s decision to do so 12 months ago being a frustration among racing fans, as the subsequent Belmont Stakes winner looked like an obvious contender to win the Triple Crown.
Rich Strike’s connections also made the same decision in 2022. Below, you can find the recent results of Kentucky Derby winners in the Preakness Stakes:
| Year | Kentucky Derby Winner | Preakness Stakes Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sovereignty | Bypassed |
| 2024 | Mystik Dan | 2nd |
| 2023 | Mage | 3rd |
| 2022 | Rich Strike | Bypassed |
| 2021 | Mandaloun | Bypassed |
| 2020 | Authentic | 2nd |
| 2019 | Country House | Bypassed |
| 2018 | Justify | 1st |
Which Horses Will Be Pointed Toward The Preakness Stakes?
After a vintage renewal of the Kentucky Derby, it has already been announced that almost every runner from Churchill Downs will not be pointed toward the Preakness Stakes. Instead, Chief Wallabee, Further Ado, and Renegade will all instead line up next in the Belmont Stakes.
Despite this, 16 possible starters remain under consideration for the Preakness. Among those include Silent Tactic and Great White, who both scratched from the Derby. Risen Stakes runner-up Chip Honcho, Blass Grass runner-up Ottinho, and Gotham Stakes winner Iron Honor are all possibles.
Meanwhile, Napoleon Solo, Liam’s Map, and Taj Mahal are all set to take their chance at Laurel Park. Most interesting is the possible inclusion of Bob Baffert-trained Crude Velocity, who was a dominant winner of the G2 Pat Day Mile on the Derby undercard.
