Golden Tempo sharpens up at Keeneland and now firmly sets his sights on the Belmont Stakes

The Kentucky Derby hero turned in another notably sharp move and Cherie DeVaux believes he still has room to keep improving as he advances toward the third jewel of the Triple Crown

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special to Turf Diario).- Kentucky Derby (G1) champion Golden Tempo continued preparations Saturday toward the upcoming Belmont Stakes (G1), leaving excellent impressions during a workout at the Keeneland Training Center, where he once again displayed the tremendous form he is currently enjoying.

The son of Curlin, bred and raced by Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, covered 1000 meters in 1:00 flat over a track labeled good, with Jose Ortiz aboard and under the supervision of trainer Cherie DeVaux.

The move had originally been scheduled for Friday, but persistent rain in the area forced a 24-hour postponement.

Working in company with stakes-placed So Sandy (War Front), Golden Tempo recorded fractions of :12, :23.40, :35.20, :47.80, and the aforementioned 1:00 for five furlongs, before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.40 and seven furlongs in 1:27.40, in a drill that confirmed the colt still possesses all the brilliance he displayed at Churchill Downs.

“I’m really pleased with his work this morning,” commented DeVaux. “Jose said he felt great, and from what I could see, Golden Tempo is in position to run another huge race and still take another step forward.”

The trainer, who made history by becoming the first woman ever to win the Kentucky Derby, also outlined the colt’s immediate schedule: a lighter move next Friday before shipping to New York the following Saturday.

The bay’s preparation has progressed flawlessly since that unforgettable rally in Louisville, where he came from the back of the field to defeat Renegade (Into Mischief) by a neck in one of the most significant Derby renewals of recent years.

Following that triumph, Golden Tempo returned immediately to Keeneland’s training center—popularly known as Rice Road—and quickly resumed activity, recording an easy half-mile move in :48.60 on May 15.

With only five starts to his credit, the colt has already compiled three victories and earnings of US$3,433,000, firmly establishing himself as one of the leading emerging stars of American racing.

Before his breakthrough at Churchill Downs, he launched his season at Fair Grounds Race Course, where he captured the Lecomte Stakes (G3) before finishing third in both the Risen Star Stakes (G2) and the Louisiana Derby (G2).

Now, the major objective becomes the Belmont Stakes on June 6 at Saratoga, where he is expected to renew his rivalry with Renegade in a showdown already generating enormous anticipation within this year’s Triple Crown series.