Golden Tempo, the colt who secured a historic win at the 152nd Kentucky Derby, will not compete in the Preakness Stakes on May 16. Trainer Cherie DeVaux announced the decision today, effectively ending any possibility of a Triple Crown sweep for the 2026 racing season.
The decision prioritizes the physical recovery of the horse over the commercial and historical pressures of the three-race series.
Status of the 2026 Triple Crown Path
| Race | Date | Venue | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Derby | Won | Churchill Downs | Finished |
| Preakness Stakes | May 16 | Laurel Park | Withdrawn |
| Belmont Stakes | June 6 | Saratoga Race Course | Under Consideration |
The stable cited the need for "more time" to recover from the "tremendous effort" displayed during the Derby.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux—the first female trainer to capture the Kentucky Derby—emphasized that the long-term future and welfare of the animal supersede immediate racing milestones.
By skipping the Preakness, Golden Tempo joins a growing list of modern winners who avoid the grueling, compressed schedule that characterized the sport in the mid-20th century.
Context: Structural Instability and Industry Change
The absence of a Triple Crown contender occurs against a backdrop of institutional instability in the sport. The Preakness Stakes is currently displaced from its traditional home at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, which is undergoing demolition and renovation. The event is instead being held at Laurel Park.
Simultaneously, the Belmont Stakes—scheduled for June 6—has been relocated to Saratoga Race Course due to ongoing construction at its New York site. These disruptions, coupled with the shift in how elite horses are managed, highlight a friction point within the sport. Modern training philosophies—which favor infrequent starts compared to the high-volume racing eras of figures like Secretariat—are increasingly at odds with a Triple Crown calendar designed nearly a century ago.
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Critics within the industry argue that the calendar demands intensity that modern, less-frequently raced horses are not conditioned to endure. While the management of Golden Tempo leaves open the possibility of a return for the Belmont Stakes, the abandonment of the Preakness reinforces the growing belief that the historic series is becoming incompatible with current standards of animal veterinary management.
