Golden Tempo has cemented its place in racing history, capturing the 158th Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, adding the prestigious race to its earlier Kentucky Derby triumph. This victory marks a significant achievement for trainer Cherie DeVaux, making her the second woman to train a winner of the Triple Crown's final leg and the first to win two races in the series.
In a thrilling finish, Golden Tempo, with jockey Jose Ortiz at the reins, surged from last place to overtake Commandment in the final strides, winning by 1 1/4 lengths. Renegade, who narrowly lost to Golden Tempo in the Derby, secured third place. All three top finishers had bypassed the Preakness Stakes, opting for the extended rest period between races.
Ortiz described a thrilling stretch drive, noting that Golden Tempo "gave me another gear and another gear" as Commandment closed in. This marks Ortiz's second Belmont victory, his first being with Tapwrit in 2017.
Golden Tempo's win makes it the 13th horse, excluding Triple Crown winners, to claim both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, a feat last accomplished by Sovereignty in the previous year and Thunder Gulch in 1995.
Despite entering the race as the fourth choice at 6-1, Golden Tempo's victory defied the betting odds, which favored Renegade. The winning connections celebrated a confirmation of their belief in the horse's superior talent.
