Kentucky Derby 2026: Golden Tempo has cracked heels; Renegade to wear special shoes
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Golden Tempo is dealing with cracked heels on both front feet but his trainer, Cherie DeVaux, doesn’t believe it will keep him from running in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
“It’s not a big deal,” said DeVaux, who simply jogged Golden Tempo on Tuesday morning. “They’re active, he galloped yesterday and they opened up a little bit, just wanted to give him a day to let them quiet down so they don’t get any worse than what they are and they can heal. It’s not abnormal. When he breezes he gets them.
“I’m not concerned at all,” DeVaux added. “They’re not bad. It’s just that they got a little weepy yesterday, that’s all.”
DeVaux said Golden Tempo will have his feet soaked in hot water and Epsom salts during the day. DeVaux she would train Golden Tempo daily, deciding whether to jog or gallop based on what she feels is appropriate.
“This is horsemanship 101, this is not defrauding the betting public,” DeVaux said. “This is what we do every day.”
Golden Tempo, a son of Curlin, won his first two starts, including the Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds. After finishing third to Paladin in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes, DeVaux added blinkers to Golden Tempo for the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby where he finished third, one length behind Emerging Market.
DeVaux believes she has seen improvement in Golden Tempo in the six weeks since the Louisiana Derby.
“He’s always been a little bit of a heavier horse, but he’s really tucked up physically,” DeVaux said. “He’s still strong, but he’s lost a little bit of that baby fat. Mentally, he’s a different horse. In his breezes, he’s always been content to stay with his company, now he wants to get his head in front and won’t let them get to him. He is moving forward, he’s going to have to take a big step forward and I think that’s within his wheelhouse.”
Golden Tempo drew post 19 and will be ridden by Jose Ortiz.
Renegade to wear three-quarter shoes
Trainer Todd Pletcher said that Renegade, who figures to be the first or second betting choice for the Kentucky Derby, will wear three-quarter shoes on both of his front feet in the Derby. Pletcher said it’s the same way Renegade was shod for the Arkansas Derby, a race he won by four lengths in a powerful fashion.
Pletcher said that Renegade has dealt with quarter cracks in his career and that by wearing three-quarter shoes “it relieves pressure off the inside quarter and hopefully prevents any issues.”
Renegade had a regular gallop on Tuesday morning.
Japan runners have unorthodox works
The two Japan-based horses running in the Kentucky Derby had what, for them, would be considered workouts, though only one was credited with an official time by the track clockers.
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Danon Bourbon, per Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welch, galloped a mile in 1:52.09 – about four seconds faster than he galloped Monday – and went the final half-mile in 53.53 seconds. T O Elvis, who is running in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Sprint, was about a sixteenth of a mile in front of him. T O Elvis was credited with a half-mile in 52.60 seconds.
Wonder Dean, per Welsch, blew out an easy half-mile in 54.71. Wonder Dean did not receive an official time from the clockers.
The track was rated fast Tuesday morning – a credit to the Churchill Downs maintenance crew – as it rained heavily Monday night.
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