After winning the Kentucky Derby as a 30-1 longshot, there was plenty of optimism regarding Golden Tempo’s potential run at the Triple Crown. Only 13 horses have ever accomplished the feat, and it hasn’t been done since 2018. Even attempting to run the Preakness Stakes on such short rest is noteworthy.
Unfortunately for fans, there will be no chance of a Triple Crown this year. Cherie DeVaux, Golden Tempo’s trainer, announced Wednesday that he would not be running in the Preakness Stakes on May 16.
What’s behind the decision? And what does this mean for the other contenders in the Preakness? Let’s get into that and go over the best horses to bet at offshore sportsbooks before the race begins.
Why Won’t Golden Tempo Race the Preakness Stakes?
Above all, this is a decision that’s made in the best interest of Golden Tempo’s health. It’s uncommon to race horses with such a tight turnaround, and doing so would likely limit Golden Tempo’s performance potential and increase the risk of him suffering a serious injury.
Golden Tempo’s race history paints the perfect picture of the type of rest trainers want their horses to receive these days. Since December, he’s participated in roughly one race every month leading up to the Kentucky Derby:
- Dec. 20, 2025: Golden Tempo wins Maiden Special Weight (MSW) race
- Jan. 17, 2026: Golden Tempo wins Lecomte Stakes
- Feb. 14, 2026: Golden Tempo finishes third at Risen Star Stakes
- March 21, 2026: Golden Tempo finishes third at Louisiana Derby
- May 2, 2026: Golden Tempo wins Kentucky Derby
Participating in another high-stakes race just two weeks removed from winning the Kentucky Derby is ultimately just too risky a move for many trainers to truly consider. Unsurprisingly, there’s been some debate about whether the Preakness and Belmont Stakes should have their schedules adjusted to allow for more Triple Crown attempts.
In the meantime, fans and bettors should monitor Golden Tempo’s potential participation in the Belmont Stakes on June 6. Skipping the Preakness suggests that we likely won’t see him race again until then.
Who’s the Favorite in the Preakness Stakes?
Crude Velocity opened as a 4-1 favorite to win the Preakness Stakes. BetOnline has since posted odds for every contender in the field:
- Crude Velocity (+135)
- Taj Mahal (+600)
- Silent Tactic (+650)
- Ocelli (+700)
- Iron Honor (+900)
- Chip Honcho (+1000)
- Napoleon Solo (+1400)
- Great White (+1600)
- Express Kid (+2000)
- Talkin (+2000)
- Ottinho (+2800)
- The Hell We Did (+2800)
- Pretty Boy Miah (+4000)
- Crupper (+4000)
Aside from Crude Velocity, Taj Mahal, Silent Tactic, Ocelli, and Iron Honor are expected to be the top contenders to win the Preakness. Silent Tactic was a late scratch at the Kentucky Derby, while Ocelli surprisingly finished third as a 50-1 longshot. Great White was also scratched at Churchill Downs after falling on the way to the starting gate.
Best Horses to Bet Ahead of Preakness Stakes
At this stage, Taj Mahal provides the best value at +600. He’s only raced three times, but he won all of them despite the distance increasing each time. He won his MSW on Feb. 6, took the Miracle Wood Stakes roughly two weeks later, and earned an easy victory at the Federico Tesio Stakes on April 18.
Another intriguing point regarding Taj Mahal’s contender status: All three of his races were won at Laurel Park, where the Preakness Stakes is temporarily being held in 2026 due to ongoing renovations at Pimlico Race Course.
Crude Velocity is undeniably fast, and he enters in great form after winning the Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs in the hours leading up to the Kentucky Derby. He’s inexperienced, though, and there’s reason to be apprehensive about the tight turnaround between his last race and the Preakness Stakes. Is that reason enough to back off at +135?
One longshot worth consideration? I like Express Kid at +2000. He hasn’t raced since Feb. 15, but he’s earned solid results, winning the Remington Springboard Mile in December and finishing second only to Pavlovian at the Sunland Derby in February.
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Final Thoughts
It’s disappointing that we won’t see the Kentucky Derby winner attempt a Triple Crown run, but it’s also perfectly understandable. Even trying for such a feat takes a lot of time, energy and effort, and it comes at the risk of compromising Golden Tempo’s long-term health. The horse also wasn’t thought to be one of the favorites to win the race, given the tight turnaround, which really makes it worth wondering what the benefit is of pursuing the Triple Crown.
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