All articles tagged with #triple crown
Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to win multiple Triple Crown races as Golden Tempo edged to victory in the Belmont Stakes (after winning the Kentucky Derby), skipping the Preakness due to timing and health considerations; the win marks a historic milestone for DeVaux and a notable achievement for women in horse racing, with the Saratoga Springs trainer celebrated in a race that featured a championship-driven late bid.
Golden Tempo, with Jose Ortiz, won the 2026 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga in 2:03.49, holding off Commandment and becoming the 13th horse to win both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont, though the Preakness was skipped; trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to train a Derby winner.
Nine 3-year-olds will contest the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga on June 5, 2026, in a New York rematch of the Derby’s top two finishers after Derby winner Golden Tempo skipped the Preakness. Renegade is the 2-1 morning-line favorite, with Vitruvian Man, Powershift, Chief Wallabee, Ottinho, Growth Equity, Commandment and Emerging Market also in the field. The race is shortened to 1 1/4 miles due to Saratoga’s track configuration. Notable connections include Irad Ortiz Jr. on Renegade, Jose Ortiz on Golden Tempo, John Velazquez on Commandment, Junior Alvarado on Chief Wallabee, and trainerst Todd Pletcher and Cherie DeVaux among others. Belmont Park’s return to Belmont Park in 2027 after redevelopment is also noted.
FOX is upgrading its Belmont Stakes broadcast with ARRI cameras and a drone, offering a multi-format presentation that blends straightforward play-by-play with an entertainment-focused feed for casual fans, plus exclusive interviews (e.g., Dylan Davis and Cherie DeVaux). Coverage runs 3–7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, with FS1/FS2 from 10:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m., as FOX evolves its Belmont production and the race ends its Saratoga run to move to a new Belmont Park in 2027, reflecting ongoing shifts in Triple Crown broadcasting amid rising viewership.
Fourteen horses compete in the 2026 Preakness at Laurel Park—the largest field in 15 years—with Iron Honor the 9-2 morning-line favorite. The Derby winner Golden Tempo is not in the race, and notable contenders include Taj Mahal (trained by Brittany Russell) and Chip Honcho. Post positions and morning-line odds are set ahead of an approximate 7:01 p.m. ET start, with top jockeys Flavien Prat, Jose Ortiz and Tyler Gaffalione aboard various contenders. The race marks a temporary relocation from Pimlico while renovations proceed.
The 2026 Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park features a 14-horse field with Golden Tempo skipping the race; morning-line odds run 9-2 to 6-1, with Iron Honor as the favorite. SportsLine handicapper Gene Menez fades Iron Honor and strongly backs The Hell We Did at 15-1, plus other longshots, as key wagers for the $2 million race (post time 7:01 p.m. ET). The article promotes joining SportsLine to view the full picks and bets.
With entries closing Monday for the 151st Preakness at Laurel Park, Pretty Boy Miah clinched the final spot after Express Kid and Smoovin scratched, leaving a near-capacity field for May 16 on the 1 3/16-mile track now at Laurel. The article details various contenders — Robusta, War of Will, The Hell We Did, Corona de Oro, Napoleon Solo, Bull by the Horns, Talkin and more — along with jockey assignments and notes from workouts, including a riderless horse interrupting The Hell We Did's workout. Post positions will be drawn Monday at 5 p.m. EDT.
A Horse Racing Nation column argues Churchill Downs Inc.’s $85 million bid to acquire Preakness IP signals a push to restore the Preakness’ prestige and could involve moves like a race reschedule and bigger purses; it critiques Cherwa’s plan while urging concrete, actionable steps from track owners to save the Triple Crown rather than rely on rhetoric.
Golden Tempo, the winner of the 152nd Kentucky Derby, will skip the Preakness Stakes and likely end his Triple Crown bid this year, with a Belmont Stakes appearance on June 6 still a possibility per trainer Cherie DeVaux.
Derby winner Golden Tempo will skip the Preakness and aim for the Belmont, continuing a trend of Derby winners omitting the second leg and fueling renewed discussion about the Triple Crown calendar and rest periods for horses, with potential implications for Belmont timing and NBC viewership.
Golden Tempo will not race in the 2026 Preakness and will instead train for the Belmont Stakes after winning the Kentucky Derby, ensuring no Triple Crown winner this year and fueling debate over the Derby-Preakness calendar amid Pimlico renovations and rights talks.
The piece argues that Golden Tempo’s decision to skip the Preakness exposes a dated Triple Crown schedule, noting multiple Derby winners bypass the middle leg in recent years. It urges moving the Preakness (and Belmont) to later dates—while keeping Derby, Preakness, and Belmont distances intact—to protect horses’ health, value, and public interest. Cherie DeVaux is praised for her handling, and the author predicts Golden Tempo will target a Belmont at Saratoga, but warns the sport must adapt or lose its star power.
Derby winner Golden Tempo will skip the Preakness to focus on a Belmont Stakes bid in June, trainer Cherie DeVaux said after the Derby win. The decision follows a pattern of Derby winners not racing in the middle leg since 2018 and comes amid ongoing talks about potential changes to the Triple Crown schedule and its TV rights, with Belmont now the likely next target for the colt.
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo will bypass the Preakness to point toward the Belmont Stakes, prioritizing the horse's health and long-term future. Ocelli is the only Derby runner currently committed to the Preakness as racing discussions around the Triple Crown spacing continue.
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo will skip the Preakness and not pursue the Triple Crown, with trainer Cherie DeVaux citing health and long-term goals; the team signaled a Belmont Stakes bid, following a pattern where the prior Derby winner Sovereignty skipped the Preakness and later won the Belmont.