Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo won't race at Preakness Stakes

Key Points:

• Golden Tempo, the 2026 Kentucky Derby winner, will skip the Preakness Stakes to prepare for the Belmont Stakes, ending any chance of a Triple Crown winner this year.
• Trainer Cherie Devaux cited the horse's health and need for recovery after the Derby as the reason for skipping the Preakness, emphasizing long-term well-being over immediate competition.
• The decision adds to growing calls to reconsider the traditional Triple Crown schedule, which currently allows only two weeks between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes.
• Golden Tempo is the third Kentucky Derby winner in five years to skip the Preakness, following Sovereignty in 2025, highlighting a trend that challenges the feasibility of winning the Triple Crown under the current timeline.
• Churchill Downs Inc. recently acquired the intellectual rights to the Preakness Stakes amid ongoing negotiations, with the 2026 Preakness being held at Laurel Park due to renovations at Pimlico Race Course.