The win was historic. Here’s who crossed the finish line first.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Golden Tempo crossed the finish line first at the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday.
The win is historic, marking Cherie DeVaux as the first woman to train the winner of the opening leg of the Triple Crown. It is also jockey Jose Ortiz’s first Kentucky Derby win after 11 tries. He beat brother Irad, who rode Renegade, to that accomplishment.
What happened to Great White?
Great White was scratched from the race mere minutes before it began after he flipped and threw his jockey.
Great White landed on his back, but not his jockey. It’s unclear if either of them were hurt.
How much money do the top five finishers earn?
According to the Kentucky Derby, in 2024, the purse for the race was elevated to a guaranteed $5 million. That money is split between the top five finishers of the race. “These record purse increases are a symbol of the health of horse racing in Kentucky,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated.
The $5 million purse remains the standard for the 2026 running of the race. Here is how it’s broken down between the top finishers.
- 1st place: $3.1 million
- 2nd place: $1 million
- 3rd place: $500,000
- 4th place: $250,000
- 5th place: $150,000
Who was scratched from the Kentucky Derby?
Five horses were scratched from the 2026 Kentucky Derby ahead of what is widely known as the “greatest two minutes in sports.”
- Great White was a last second scratch after flipping and throwing his jockey while loading.
- Right to Party
- The Puma
- Silent Tactic
- Fulleffort
The Associated Press contributed to this report.