Golden Tempo’s last-to-first victory at 23.12-1 odds in the $5 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve provided horse racing fans with a historically significant grand finale to cap an unforgettable slate of stakes races over the last week at Churchill Downs. Here are the 12 key takeaways from Longines Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby weekend under the Twin Spires.

NBC interviews DeVaux after the 2026 Kentucky Derby (Eclipse Sportswire)

HISTORIC MOMENT: How could the first takeaway be anything other than Cherie DeVaux becoming the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner? DeVaux was the 18^th woman to saddle a runner in the first jewel of the Triple Crown and Golden Tempo charged from more than 17 lengths back to make history for his trainer. DeVaux was an assistant to both Chuck Simon, a beloved figure in racing who died of cancer in September 2024, and five-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown before venturing out on her own in 2018. DeVaux won a Breeders’ Cup race in 2024 (More Than Looks, FanDuel Mile) and now owns a win in the marquee race in North America.

“I started my career here 22 years ago as a bright‑eyed, bushy‑tailed exercise rider. And I would not believe that I would be sitting up here today. Never in my life did I think I would,” DeVaux said after the Derby. “And Chuck [Simon], he would be so proud. I am here because of him, because he pushed me. He pushed my boundaries. He gave me direction when I needed it, and he was always proud of me.”

SWEET SWEEP: Jockey Jose Ortiz won three graded stakes on Friday’s card at Churchill Downs, capped by his second career win the Kentucky Oaks when he guided Always a Runner to a 1 ¼-length victory over game runner-up Meaning. He then became the ninth jockey to complete the Oaks-Kentucky Derby sweep – and the second in three years, joining Brian Hernandez Jr. in 2024 – when he overcame a 10-wide trip to capture the Derby with Golden Tempo. “Unbelievable weekend. It’s the result of all the hard work I put in for the last 15 years,” Ortiz said. “I just want to be thankful. I feel blessed to be here.”

Irad Ortiz Jr., left, congratulates brother Jose Ortiz (Eclipse Sportswire)

BROTHERLY LOVE: Winning jockey Jose Ortiz and his older brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., shared a moment bumping fists past the finish line after running one-two in the 2026 Kentucky Derby. Jose aboard Golden Tempo swept past Renegade, ridden by Irad, in the closing strides with both elite riders seeking their first Kentucky Derby win. The tight finish was incredibly emotional for both brothers, one earning the most important win of his career and the other coming tantalizingly close to an elusive win in his 10^th try. “I want him to win the Derby, of course. I know it’s his dream as well, but it happened my way,” Jose Ortiz told NBC after the brothers became the first pair to finish first and second in the Derby. “I think he should be happy, his horse ran a very nice race. It’s a very nice horse. It was my year, today’s my day. It was Golden Tempo’s day.”

SO CLOSE, YET SO FAR: Owner Mike Repole has long coveted a win in the Kentucky Derby. He’s won countless important races such as the Belmont Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Classic as one of the leading owners in the sport of horse racing, and it looked like Repole’s ninth Kentucky Derby starter (alone or in partnership), Renegade, might deliver that prized Derby win in deep stretch before Golden Tempo surged past in the closing strides. One of the winning owners was Repole’s frequent partner Vincent Viola, and Repole was gracious in defeat: “I’m actually more upset that Irad lost than me. That kid rode his ass off,” he told BloodHorse. “Think about Irad’s parents, one-two in the Derby. Cherie [DeVaux], first female winning the Derby. If I wasn’t in the race, I would have rooted for her. It’s all great. This is what racing is supposed to be about.”

Wood Memorial Stakes third-place finisher Ocelli (Coady Media)

A MAIDEN IN THE DERBY? ALMOST: Lightly regarded Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino third-place finisher Ocelli nearly pulled off a Kentucky Derby upset on the level of Rich Strike’s 80-1 shocker in 2022. Ocelli charged to the lead at 70.50-1 odds near the sixteenth pole under Tyler Gaffalione but could not hold off fast-closing winner Golden Tempo and runner-up Renegade. Ocelli’s bid to become the first maiden (a horse who has never won a race) to win the Kentucky Derby since Brokers Tip in 1933 came up a length short in a gutsy third-place finish for trainer Whit Beckman. “As he was coming down the stretch and I saw him with a chance to win – my mind went blank,” Beckman said. “Then I snapped back in and saw him finish. I’m so proud of him and he showed he belongs with all these good horses.”

ONE OF THESE YEARS: Japan has been a consistent presence in the Kentucky Derby since 2022 with nine Japan-raced runners competing in the first jewel of the Triple Crown in the last five editions. Forever Young came extraordinarily close to winning the Derby when third and beaten by a head by winner Mystik Dan and by a nose by runner-up Sierra Leone in a thrilling three-horse photo finish in 2024. It looked for a brief moment like it could be Japan’s day Saturday at Churchill when Danon Bourbon seized command entering the and shook clear to a two-length lead, but pressing a solid pace caught up to him in the final furlong of a gritty fifth-place finish. Danon Bourbon will be shipped back to Japan on Tuesday.

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO: Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winner Further Ado was a lukewarm favorite coming off what was the fastest Kentucky Derby prep win from any contender, an 11-length romp 70 miles or so east of Louisville at Keeneland Race Course that earned monster speed figures. There is always concern that a lightly raced horse might react negatively after a career-best effort, and Further Ado was never really a factor after some jostling between horses early in the race. He finished 11^th, beaten by 7 ¾ lengths, under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. “I had a great trip,” Velazquez said. “He didn’t have any fight and I didn’t have enough to fight on with.”

Always a Runner wins Kentucky Oaks (Eclipse Sportswire)

ALWAYS IMPROVING: Talk about a 3-year-old filly on the rise, Always a Runner looks that and perhaps much more. The Gun Runner filly delivered a monster effort in only her third career start to defeat 12 opponents in the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks Friday at Churchill. She finished 1 ¼ lengths clear of Santa Anita Oaks Presented by Surfside winner Meaning to improve to three wins in as many starts and give trainer Chad Brown his first win in the Kentucky Oaks. Brown said Always a Runner, whose career was delayed by illness, will be shipped to Saratoga Race Course to begin preparations for a summer campaign. “She had a very serious case of pneumonia,” Brown said. “When horses experience things like that, we just had to take things day by day. Her career was really up in the air. I never imagined she’d get to this day.”

ELVIS IS IN THE BUILDING: T O Elvis shipped over from Japan riding a dominant four-race winning streak and overwhelmed a talented field in the $1 million Churchill Downs Stakes presented by Ford in a 3 ¼-length runaway victory. He defeated among 10 opponents last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up Imagination and dazzling multiple graded stakes winner Knightsbridge, completing seven furlongs in 1:20.49 while just missing the track record of 1:20.44 set by Groupie Doll May 5, 2012. T O Elvis missed a planned start in Dubai due to the war in Iran but trainer Daisuke Takayanagi had him plenty fit and he got a terrific ride from jockey Ryusei Sakai to win at 5.87-1 odds after a ton of late money poured in on him to win. 

PERSISTENT PROBLEM: I understand that Computer-Assisted Wagering (CAWs) – high-volume betting syndicates using algorithms to place bets on horses that profile as good value, typically right before the race begins – generates a ton of handle for horse racing and wagering dollars ultimately drive the sport. There also is no doubt T O Elvis was a much stronger contender in the Churchill Downs Stakes than his 30-1 morning-line odds suggested. But it’s still so disheartening on racing’s biggest stage to see his odds plummet from 12-1 to 5-1 after leaving the starting gate with so much money in the pools. I don’t believe anything nefarious occurred such as bets being placed after the race began, but it’s hard to encourage new bettors and to retain the invested gamblers the sport already has when instances like this happen with such regularity. It’s a real problem. I wish I had the solution.

Stark Contrast wins American Turf Stakes (Eclipse Sportswire)

GRASS IS GREENER: Trainer Michael McCarthy opted to bypass the Kentucky Derby with Jeff Ruby Steaks runner-up Stark Contrast in favor of a return to the grass for the $1 million American Turf Stakes and he was rewarded with the Caravaggio colt’s first career Grade 1 win. Stark Contrast proved much the best at 6-5 odds in a 2 ¼-length victory under Flavien Prat. “He’s a good horse; he’s a very good horse,” Prat said.

HIGH OCTANE: Crude Velocity looked every bit the rising star for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert n an eye-catching 3 ¾-length win in the $750,000 Pat Day Mile Stakes presented by SAP. The Beau Liam colt improved to 3-for-3 in winning his stakes debut and handed highly regarded runner-up Englishman his first defeat while completing the mile in 1:33.87, about three-fifths of a second off the track record. Crude Victory could be a very interesting addition to the Preakness Stakes May 16, should Baffert opt to target the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. “This horse is a freaky horse. He is so talented,” Baffert said. “If he stays healthy, we'll be hearing from this horse down the road.”