The Kentucky Derby 2026 was held on Saturday, May 2, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. This saw a bunch of stellar performers, making their way to the finish line and receiving major payouts for their feats.
The performance that turned heads at the 152nd iteration of the tournament was of Golden Tempo, who claimed the first position after producing a strong performance. He was ridden by jockey Jose Ortiz, and they began the race at the back of the 18-horse field. During the initial phase of the race, Tempo was dead last for more than 3.4 of a mile; however, he picked up momentum and cruised toward the finish line, passing multiple rivals to compete head-to-head with the favorite in the final seconds.
He crossed the finish line in 2:02.27 on a fast track, securing a narrow finish against Renegade, who ended up in second place. This was a family affair, as riding Renegade was Ortiz’s brother Irad Ortiz Jr. Tempo’s victory etched its place in history books, making Cherie DeVaux break a 152-year barrier to become the first woman to train a Derby winner in 18 attempts.
Apart from the scoreboard, another thing that captured the audience’s attention was the prize money. Let’s have a detailed look into the breakdown of key payouts of the top 5 horses.
Prize money breakdown of top 5 horses at Kentucky Derby 2026
The top 5 horses that delivered staunch performances at the Kentucky Derby are Golden Tempo, Renegade, Ocelli, Chief Wallabee, and Danon Bourbon. Here are the breakdowns of their prize money at the tournament.
- Golden Tempo
- Prize money – $3.1 million
- Odds – 23-1
- Win – $48.24
- Place – $19.14
- Show – $11.90
2. Renegade
- Prize money – $1 million
- Odds – 5-1
- Place – $7.14
- Show – $5.46
3. Ocelli
- Prize money – $500,000
- Odds – 70-1
- Show – $36.34
4. Chief Wallabee
- Prize money – $250,000
- Odds – 7-1
5. Danon Bourbon
- Prize money – $150,000
- Odds – 14-1
What did Golden Tempo’s owner say about the historic win at the 2026 Kentucky Derby?
Golden Tempo’s owner, Daisy Phipps Pulito, spoke to the media after the horse claimed a historic win at the Kentucky Derby. Making her feelings known about the feat, she revealed that it is a ‘family sport’ for her and called it ‘life-changing.’
“It is a family sport for us. Almost our whole family is here today, and the Violas, our extended family who we get to campaign the horse with. It’s life changing for all of us to win the Kentucky Derby when you win a race like this, it’s the pinnacle of our sport,” said Phipps Pulito.
Along with her, Golden Tempo’s trainer, DeVaux, also weighed in on entering horse training, saying:
“In the summer of 2017, I was really at a crossroads in life. And [my husband] told me I owed it to myself to at least try [horse training] and he had the faith in me and saw what I didn’t see,” said DeVaux.
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