Golden Tempo, the three-year-old colt who recently secured victories in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, is setting his sights on the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on August 29, 2026. Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the first female trainer to win the Derby, Golden Tempo had initially been scheduled to run a prep race before the Travers. However, a minor lung infection caused by early health issues led DeVaux to focus his training directly toward the Travers to ensure the colt’s full recovery and peak condition for the race.

Golden Tempo impressed many with his dramatic coming-from-behind wins in two of the most prestigious races of the spring. Demonstrating powerful strides under jockey Jose Ortiz, he entered the Kentucky Derby at long odds of 23 to 1, then disproved skeptics by commanding the Belmont Stakes with a decisive finish. Owned by Phipps Stables and St. Elias Stables, he has established himself as the top contender among his generation, marking an extraordinary 2026 campaign and dispelling any notions that his Derby win was a stroke of luck.

Despite the challenge posed by other promising three-year-olds who may take part in key lead-up races like the Haskell Stakes and the Jim Dandy Stakes, DeVaux remains unfazed by competition. She emphasizes that the team’s priority is Golden Tempo’s health and readiness to perform at his best on Travers day rather than dedicating energy to the rivals. This approach stems from the colt’s impressive record of three wins and two third-place finishes from five starts, accumulating earnings of $4.633 million.

Looking ahead, Golden Tempo is now back in steady training following his brief illness, with careful preparation geared toward reclaiming the spotlight at the Mid-Summer Derby—the Travers Stakes. As one of the oldest and most prestigious stakes races for three-year-olds in the United States, the Travers will be a defining test for Golden Tempo’s ongoing bid to cement his place among Thoroughbred racing’s elite for the year.