Justify is safe. The last horse to win the Triple Crown will not be challenged in 2026. Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo is skipping the Preakness Stakes, trainer Cherie DeVaux announced Wednesday.
“The best decision for him moving forward is to give him a little more time following such a tremendous effort,” DeVaux said in a statement on social media.
That takes a little starch out of the sport for the rest of the season.
The Triple Crown brings in casual horse racing fans and a chance at seeing one creates more interest over the course of the six weeks.
Anticipation builds leading up to the Kentucky Derby in early May, when the top 3-year-old Thoroughbreds aim to capture the “Run for the Roses” at Churchill Downs.
The drama can reach even greater heights as the Derby winner has the opportunity to etch its name into the history books by winning twice more and completing the Triple Crown.
The feat is extremely difficult, but for the horses, jockeys, trainers and owners who are fortunate enough to do it, winning the Triple Crown is an achievement of a lifetime.
What is the Triple Crown?
The Triple Crown refers to the three major races in American Thoroughbred horse racing. It consists of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. A horse that finishes first in all three races in the same year is said to have won the Triple Crown.
The last Triple Crown winner was Justify in 2018.
Hollywood meets horse racing every year at Churchill Downs for the annual Kentucky Derby. See who is there for 2026.
Melissa Joan Hart attends the Kentucky Derby 152 at Churchill Downs on May 2, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Lance Bass and Odette Annable
David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris attend the Kentucky Derby 152 at Churchill Downs on May 2, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Bon Jovi guitarist and vocalist Richie Sambora on the red carpet at the 13th annual Unbridled Eve Derby Gala in the Grand Ballroom of The Galt House Hotel. May 1, 2026
Chaka Khan
Nicole Scherzinger
Dave Portnoy
Dannielynn Birkhead and her father, Larry
Forrie J. Smith
Star Jones
Football tight end Rob Gronkowski and model Camille Kostek
Musician Dasha
Patti LaBelle performs at the 37th Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala on May 1, 2026.
Actor and recording artist Anthony Ramos
Actress Gina Torres
Award-winning country music star Lorrie Morgan
Actress Melissa Joan Hart
North Carolina Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick and his partner, Jordon Hudson on the Kentucky Derby red carpet on May 2, 2026.
TV host Nate Burleson on the Kentucky Derby red carpet on May 2, 2026.
Seattle Storm’s Sue Bird on the Kentucky Derby red carpet on May 2, 2026
Olympic bobsledder Lolo Jones on the Kentucky Derby red carpet on May 2, 2026.
Singer Elliot Lurie
“American Idol” contestant Layla Spring
Former football player Harry Douglas
Actress Leslie Grace
Sportscaster Bonnie-Jill Laflin
Former WWE wrestler Mike Bucci
NFL Hall of Famer Warren Moon
Olympian Dallas Robinson
Singer-songwriter Phillip Phillips
Former Miss America Heather French Henry
ESPN anchor Michael Eaves
NBC Dateline correspondent Andrea Canning (left) and actress Danica McKellar (right)
Johnny Edwards, rock vocalist best known as a former lead singer of Foreigner
Singer and former member of Linkin’ Bridge China Lacy
Sugar Hill Gang, pioneering hip-hop group best known for “Rapper’s Delight.”
Bestselling romance and suspense author Nora Roberts
Grammy-winning artist Skip Martin
1 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Hollywood meets horse racing every year at Churchill Downs for the annual Kentucky Derby. See who is there for 2026.
Melissa Joan Hart attends the Kentucky Derby 152 at Churchill Downs on May 2, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky.
1 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Hollywood meets horse racing every year at Churchill Downs for the annual Kentucky Derby. See who is there for 2026.
Melissa Joan Hart attends the Kentucky Derby 152 at Churchill Downs on May 2, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky.
2 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Lance Bass and Odette Annable
3 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris attend the Kentucky Derby 152 at Churchill Downs on May 2, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky.
4 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Bon Jovi guitarist and vocalist Richie Sambora on the red carpet at the 13th annual Unbridled Eve Derby Gala in the Grand Ballroom of The Galt House Hotel. May 1, 2026
5 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Chaka Khan
6 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Nicole Scherzinger
7 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Dave Portnoy
8 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Dannielynn Birkhead and her father, Larry
9 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Forrie J. Smith
10 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Star Jones
11 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Football tight end Rob Gronkowski and model Camille Kostek
12 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Musician Dasha
13 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Patti LaBelle performs at the 37th Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala on May 1, 2026.
14 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Actor and recording artist Anthony Ramos
15 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Actress Gina Torres
16 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Award-winning country music star Lorrie Morgan
17 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Actress Melissa Joan Hart
18 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
North Carolina Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick and his partner, Jordon Hudson on the Kentucky Derby red carpet on May 2, 2026.
19 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
TV host Nate Burleson on the Kentucky Derby red carpet on May 2, 2026.
20 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Seattle Storm’s Sue Bird on the Kentucky Derby red carpet on May 2, 2026
21 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Olympic bobsledder Lolo Jones on the Kentucky Derby red carpet on May 2, 2026.
22 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Singer Elliot Lurie
23 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
“American Idol” contestant Layla Spring
24 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Former football player Harry Douglas
25 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Actress Leslie Grace
26 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Sportscaster Bonnie-Jill Laflin
27 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Former WWE wrestler Mike Bucci
28 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
NFL Hall of Famer Warren Moon
29 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Olympian Dallas Robinson
30 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Singer-songwriter Phillip Phillips
31 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Former Miss America Heather French Henry
32 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
ESPN anchor Michael Eaves
33 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
NBC Dateline correspondent Andrea Canning (left) and actress Danica McKellar (right)
34 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Johnny Edwards, rock vocalist best known as a former lead singer of Foreigner
35 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Singer and former member of Linkin’ Bridge China Lacy
36 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Sugar Hill Gang, pioneering hip-hop group best known for “Rapper’s Delight.”
37 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Bestselling romance and suspense author Nora Roberts
38 / 38
Celebrity sightings at the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Grammy-winning artist Skip Martin
How many Kentucky Derby winners skipped the Preakness?
Golden Tempo is not the first Derby winner to skip the second leg and forego a chance at history over the last 20 years. Last year’s winner Sovereignty chose not to race the Preakness to focus on the Belmont, which he won. In 2022 Rich Strike won the Derby and then skipped the Preakness.
When are this year’s Triple Crown races?
The Kentucky Derby officially kicks off the first leg of the Triple Crown on May 4, followed by the Preakness Stakes on May 18 and Belmont Stakes on June 8.
Golden Tempo, with Jose Ortiz up, wins the 2026 Kentucky Derby.
How many horses have won the Triple Crown?
Since the Kentucky Derby was established in 1875, a total of 13 horses have won what’s officially called the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. They are:
Sir Barton (1919)
Gallant Fox (1930)
Omaha (1935)
War Admiral (1937)
Whirlaway (1941)
Count Fleet (1943)
Assault (1946)
Citation (1948)
Secretariat (1973)
Seattle Slew (1977)
Affirmed (1978)
American Pharoah (2015)
Justify (2018)
How did the term ‘Triple Crown’ originate?
The term “Triple Crown” – referring to the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes – was first used in 1930, when Gallant Fox became the second horse in history to win all three races. (The phrase was taken from English horse racing, which has a Triple Crown of its own dating to 1853.)
Sportswriter Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form is credited with coining the term for American audiences.
Contributing: Louisville Courier Journal
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Triple Crown winners in history as Golden Tempo skips Preakness
