The 2026 Kentucky Derby was one of the most exciting in recent memory and smashed TV ratings in the process. In the race, Golden Tempo, who entered as an extreme long shot, rallied from last to first, making history along the way. The horse’s win made Cherie DeVaux the first woman trainer to ever win The Run for the Roses and just the second female to ever claim a Triple Crown race.
That led to many looking forward to the 2026 Preakness Stakes—The Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown—two weeks later on Saturday, May 16. Golden Tempo had become must-see TV with his performance at Churchill Downs, however, the sports world was disappointed with the revelation that DeVaux made on Wednesday. She announced that Golden Tempo would bypass the Preakness Stakes and instead point to the Belmont Stakes on June 6. Thus, and once again, a healthy Kentucky Derby champion is skipping the opportunity to compete for the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, an achievement which has been accomplished just 13 times since the inauguration of all three races came into existence in 1875.
