In a thrilling display of determination and skill, Golden Tempo emerged victorious in the Lecomte Stakes, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats as he rallied from the back of the pack to claim the win. This Grade 3 race, held at Fair Grounds with a purse of $250,000, marked a significant milestone for the Curlin colt, earning him 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Trained by Cherie DeVaux and owned by Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, Golden Tempo showcased his closing prowess under jockey José Ortiz, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.98 on a track that favored speed.
But here's where it gets controversial: Despite the track conditions seemingly working against him, Golden Tempo's late charge raised questions about whether his win was a fluke or a sign of true championship potential. Ortiz himself admitted, 'Sometimes as a rider, you get your hands tied. I knew that track was playing forward, but if I have a horse like him, that doesn't have early speed, what can you do?' This candid reflection highlights the challenges of navigating a fast track with a closer, yet Golden Tempo's performance suggests there's more to his story.
The race unfolded with Crown the Buckeye setting a blistering pace, clocking early fractions of 23.72 and 47.11 seconds. Meanwhile, Golden Tempo broke slowly, positioning himself at the rear of the field. Mesquite, his stablemate, navigated from midpack to a wider position on the backstretch. As the field approached the far turn, Golden Tempo began his rally, passing rivals with purpose before finding an opening on the rail. In a heart-stopping finish, he surged past Carson Street and Chip Honcho, with Mesquite close behind, to take the win by less than a length. Mesquite edged Carson Street by a neck for second, while Chip Honcho and Quality Mischief rounded out the top five.
And this is the part most people miss: Golden Tempo's inexperience could have been his downfall, but DeVaux's faith in his ability paid off. 'When Jose started picking him up, I was a little worried with him being inexperienced that he was making his move on the inside,' she said. 'He did idle a little bit, but then he came back on nicely.' This race was only his second start, following a debut win in December on the Gun Runner Stakes undercard, where he also rallied from behind.
Ortiz shared his impressions, 'The horse broke a little slow like he did the first time. I was patient. I followed Mesquite until the three-eighths pole, he went outside and I went inside. Luckily I got an opening and the horse did the rest. I'm impressed. You never know how a horse is going to react going two turns for the first time and facing stakes horses for the first time.'
With his Lecomte victory, Golden Tempo now sits second on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, behind Ted Noffey. Mesquite earned 10 points, Carson Street six, and Chip Honcho four, boosting his total to 14 after his Gun Runner win. Quality Mischief doubled his Derby points to four.
Boldly, we ask: Is Golden Tempo a one-hit wonder, or is he the real deal? His ability to close on a speed-favoring track and handle stakes competition for the first time suggests the latter, but only time will tell. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Golden Tempo returned $7.40, $4.20, and $3.40, while Mesquite paid $4.80 and $3.80, and Carson Street $6.80. Bred in Kentucky, Golden Tempo is by Curlin out of the Bernardini mare Carrumba, improving his record to 2: 2-0-0 with earnings of $183,000. The next challenge awaits in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes on February 15, where Kentucky Derby points increase to 50-25-15-10-5. Will Golden Tempo continue his ascent, or will another contender rise to the occasion? The Road to the Derby is just heating up.
