Golden Tempo Wins 152nd Kentucky Derby, Making History for Female Trainers

May 3, 2026, 22:34
Latin AmericaSports

Introduction

The 152nd Kentucky Derby ended with a surprise victory by Golden Tempo, a horse trained by Cherie DeVaux who was not expected to win.

Main Body

The event began with several problems, as five horses were removed from the race before it started. This equaled a historical record from 1936 and 2023. Most horses were withdrawn during the week, but the final one, Great White, was removed by veterinarians just before the start after the horse jumped and knocked off its jockey. Consequently, the number of competitors dropped from 20 to 18. Golden Tempo, who had odds of 23-1, moved quickly from the back of the group to win the race in 2:02.27. The horse narrowly beat the favorite, Renegade, by a very small distance. This win was especially interesting because the two lead jockeys were brothers; Jose Ortiz, riding Golden Tempo, defeated his brother, Irad Ortiz Jr. This was Jose's first Kentucky Derby win in 11 tries, and it happened just one day after he won the Kentucky Oaks. Furthermore, this victory was historically important because Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner in the race's 152-year history. She is only the second woman to win a Triple Crown race. This success came during her first attempt at the Derby, eight years after she started her own stable. As a result of the win, the owners received a $3.1 million share of the $5 million total prize money.

Conclusion

Golden Tempo's victory represents a major change in the professional world of the Kentucky Derby. Whether the horse will compete in the Preakness Stakes depends on a future medical check by veterinarians.

Learning

πŸš€ The 'B2 Secret': Logical Connectors

To move from A2 (basic sentences) to B2 (flowing speech), you need to stop using and and but for everything. Look at how this article glues ideas together to create a professional narrative.

πŸ”— The 'Cause & Effect' Bridge

An A2 student says: "The horse jumped. The number of competitors dropped."

A B2 speaker uses Consequently or As a result of.

  • Consequently β†’\rightarrow Use this when one event leads naturally to another.
    • Example: "Great White was removed... Consequently, the number of competitors dropped."
  • As a result of β†’\rightarrow Use this to link a specific action to a specific reward or outcome.
    • Example: "As a result of the win, the owners received $3.1 million."

πŸ“ˆ Adding 'Weight' to Information

Instead of just listing facts, B2 English uses words that tell the reader why the next sentence is important.

Furthermore

This is the 'Power-Up' word. Use it when you have already given a good reason and you want to add an even more important point.

  • Fact 1: Golden Tempo won (Interesting).
  • Fact 2: Furthermore, Cherie DeVaux made history (Historically important).

πŸ’‘ Quick Shift: From Simple to Sophisticated

A2 Level (Simple)B2 Level (Bridge)
And also...Furthermore...
So...Consequently...
Because of this...As a result of...

Pro Tip: If you start a sentence with Furthermore or Consequently, always put a comma immediately after it. It creates a natural pause that makes you sound like a native speaker.

Vocabulary Learning

surprise
an unexpected event or thing
Example:The surprise announcement made everyone cheer.
victory
a win or success
Example:Their victory in the race was celebrated by fans.
trained
taught to perform a particular skill or job
Example:The trained horse followed the jockey's commands.
expected
thought would happen or be true
Example:He was not expected to finish in first place.
problems
difficulties or obstacles
Example:The team faced many problems during the project.
removed
taken away or eliminated
Example:The faulty part was removed from the machine.
record
a documented achievement or a set of data
Example:He broke the record for fastest time.
withdrawn
taken away or taken out of participation
Example:The competitor was withdrawn after a health check.
competitors
participants in a contest
Example:The race attracted many competitors.
odds
the likelihood of something happening
Example:The odds of winning were low.
narrowly
by a very small margin
Example:She won the match narrowly.
favorite
the most likely to win
Example:The crowd cheered for the favorite.
distance
the space between two points
Example:The runner covered a distance of 10 kilometers.
especially
more than usual, particularly
Example:He was especially proud of his achievement.
interesting
arousing curiosity or attention
Example:The documentary was interesting because it revealed hidden facts.
brothers
male siblings
Example:The brothers started a business together.
defeated
won against someone
Example:The team defeated their rivals in the final.
tries
attempts to do something
Example:After several tries, she solved the puzzle.
historically
in relation to history
Example:Historically, the city was a trade hub.
important
of great significance
Example:It is important to study regularly.
stable
a building for horses
Example:The horse was kept in a clean stable.
share
a part of something
Example:She received a share of the profits.
prize
a reward for winning
Example:The winner received a grand prize.
professional
relating to a profession; skilled
Example:He is a professional photographer.
depends
is determined by something else
Example:Success depends on hard work.
future
time that will come later
Example:We plan for the future.
medical
relating to health or medicine
Example:The patient received medical care.
check
to examine or inspect
Example:The doctor will check the wound.
veterinarians
doctors who treat animals
Example:The veterinarians cared for the injured horse.