FROM LAST PLACE TO KENTUCKY DERBY GLORY, WHAT A RACE FOR GOLDEN TEMPO! 🐎 #KentuckyDerby

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 2, 2026

DeVaux’s Answer: “We’ll Let Him Decide”

When pressed by reporters moments after the historic victory, DeVaux did not commit. “We’re gonna let him decide that,” she said. “We’re gonna see how he looks tomorrow, and subsequently the next couple of days — we’re gonna have to allow him to tell us.” The answer, while cautious, was not a no. DeVaux’s priority is the horse’s health, and the Preakness — running just two weeks after the Derby — is a notoriously punishing turnaround.

DeVaux is also just the second female trainer to win any Triple Crown race, following Jena Antonucci’s 2023 Belmont Stakes victory with Arcangelo. The opportunity to become the first woman to chase a Triple Crown is enormous.

“I’m glad I can be representative of women everywhere. We can do anything we set our minds to.” – Cherie DeVaux 🏆 #KentuckyDerby2026

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) May 2, 2026

Why This Decision Is Harder Than Ever in 2026

The question of whether to run in the Preakness has never been more complicated. In 2025, trainer Bill Mott famously kept Sovereignty out of the Preakness entirely — then went on to win the Belmont Stakes. That decision sparked a debate in racing circles that has only intensified heading into 2026.

And this year, there’s an added wrinkle: the Preakness has moved. For the first time in the race’s 151-year history, it will not be held at the iconic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Instead, due to a $400 million renovation project at Pimlico, the 2026 Preakness runs at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland. For trainers managing horses worth tens of millions in future breeding value, a new venue adds real risk to an already demanding decision.

Who Else Could Run if Golden Tempo Skips?

If DeVaux decides to rest Golden Tempo, the Preakness field opens dramatically. Horses already targeting Laurel Park include Iron Honor (trained by Chad Brown), Chip Honcho (Steve Asmussen), Taj Mahal (undefeated, trained by Brittany Russell), and Renegade — the 5-1 Derby runner-up who ran a massive race. Any of these fresh contenders could step in as the new favorite.