Golden Tempo to Skip Preakness, Belmont Becomes Next Target
The Triple Crown trail will take a familiar modern turn, as Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo will not make the quick turnaround to the Preakness Stakes on May 16 at Laurel Park. Instead, trainer Cherie DeVaux confirmed Wednesday that the colt will be aimed squarely at the Belmont Stakes on June 6 at Saratoga.
Coming off a career-defining effort beneath the Twin Spires, the decision was rooted in giving the colt adequate recovery time after what DeVaux described as a taxing performance.
“He ran the race of his life,” DeVaux said. “We want to give him more time to get over that. We feel it’s in his best interest. He came out of the race in good order, and we’re pointing toward the Belmont.”
Golden Tempo, stabled at Keeneland, returned to light training midweek, jogging Wednesday morning. By all accounts, the Derby hero has bounced back in excellent shape. DeVaux noted he is “super happy” and moving forward exactly as hoped.
The colt’s Derby victory was one for the ages — a sweeping rally from last in a full field of 18 at odds of 23-1, carrying the colors of Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, owned by Vinnie and Teresa Viola.
With Golden Tempo bypassing Baltimore, attention shifts toward a Belmont Stakes that could feature a strong reunion of Derby principals. Runner-up Renegade and fourth-place finisher Chief Wallabee are both being pointed to Saratoga and have already shipped in preparation.
The absence of the Derby winner from the Preakness continues a recent pattern. This will mark the third time in five years the Kentucky Derby winner has skipped the second jewel. Sovereignty followed that path last year and was rewarded with a Belmont victory, while Rich Strike famously passed the Preakness in 2022 after his 80-1 Derby shocker and later finished sixth in the Belmont.
Meanwhile, the Preakness picture is evolving quickly.
Ocelli, who outran 70-1 odds to finish third in the Derby, now appears likely to take his shot in Baltimore. Trainer Whit Beckman had initially considered waiting for the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 7, but the colt’s exceptional recovery — combined with what shapes up as a potentially contested early pace — has altered those plans.
“As I had the past performances put in front of me, it looks like an all-out sprint to the first turn,” Beckman said. “How many horses want to be on or very close to the pace?”
Given Ocelli’s closing style, that projected setup only adds to the appeal.
Physically, the colt has given every indication he’s ready to run back.
“You wouldn’t know this horse ran Saturday,” Beckman said. “He’s made of something different. Every indication he’s given me is to point to this race. We’re having fun, the horse is having fun — if everybody’s having fun, why stop the fun?”
Ocelli returned to the track Wednesday as well, turning in a jog that Beckman described simply: “better than great.” It’s safe to assume his odds will be considerably shorter than they were on Derby Day.
As for favoritism in the Preakness, much could hinge on the status of Crude Velocity.
The unbeaten colt, winner of the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile, is firmly under consideration by trainer Bob Baffert, though a final decision remains pending. Baffert indicated he may not commit until later in the week, citing both timing and logistics — particularly with the race being held at Laurel Park due to ongoing renovations at Pimlico.
“Today, I would say yes — tomorrow I might say no,” Baffert said. “I don’t want to commit until Friday, but he looked really good out there. It’s amazing how it didn’t take anything away from him. I’m still trying to figure out the logistics at Laurel. I’ve never run there.”
Crude Velocity returned to the track at Churchill Downs on Wednesday, jogging over a muddy surface without issue. The colt is a perfect three-for-three, with Beyer Speed Figures of 100 in both the Pat Day Mile and an April 4 allowance win at Santa Anita — though all of those races have come around one turn, leaving the added distance as a new test.
Baffert has ruled out both Cherokee Nation and Potente for the Preakness. Cherokee Nation, he said, “is not ready” for a race of this caliber, while Potente — who finished 12th in the Derby — is instead being pointed toward a possible Belmont start.
Beyond the leading names, several others are circling the race.
Bull by the Horns could reroute from Saturday’s Grade 3 Peter Pan at Aqueduct, with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. indicating a Preakness bid is under consideration, contingent on a weekend workout at Gulfstream Park.
Corona de Oro, trained by Dallas Stewart, also looms as a possibility after finishing third in the Lexington Stakes. He had been entered for the Derby but failed to draw in from the also-eligible list.
Robusta, who finished 14th in the Derby for Calumet Farm and trainer Doug O’Neill, is likewise back on the radar.
The Preakness field is capped at 14 starters, with the possibility of two also-eligibles being listed. As it stands, the race is shaping up as a wide-open affair — one that, in the absence of the Derby winner, may hinge on fresh legs and the right pace scenario.
