The Triple Crown chatter didn't last long. After his dramatic Kentucky Derby win, Golden Tempo had people wondering if a run at history was next. That answer is now in.
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The Derby winner will not run in the Preakness Stakes.
Instead, trainer Cherie DeVaux and her team are pointing the colt toward the Belmont Stakes in early June, opting for rest over a quick turnaround.
That's becoming more common.
The Preakness comes just two weeks after the Derby, and more connections are deciding that's not enough time. Golden Tempo now joins a growing list of recent winners who have skipped the second leg altogether.
DeVaux kept the reasoning simple. The focus is on the horse's long-term health after what she called a "tremendous effort" at Churchill Downs.
It also means no Triple Crown attempt this year.
The last sweep still belongs to Justify in 2018, and those runs have become increasingly rare. There is a recent blueprint, though.
Last year's Derby winner, Sovereignty, also skipped the Preakness and came back to win the Belmont. Golden Tempo's camp appears to be following that same path.
Meanwhile, the Preakness moves forward without him, set to run at Laurel Park this year while Pimlico undergoes renovations.
Different track. Different field. No Derby winner.
The spotlight now shifts to Belmont.
