Who Owns Golden Tempo? Meet the Owners Behind the 2026 Kentucky Derby Winner
Golden Tempo is owned by a partnership between Phipps Stable, represented by Daisy Phipps Pulito, and St. Elias Stables, owned by Vincent Viola. The horse was bred by his owners and has never been sold at public auction, making his path to Churchill Downs distinctly old-school in an era of online auction frenzies and syndicate bidding wars. On May 2, 2026, those two ownership groups celebrated together as Golden Tempo — a 25-1 long shot — stormed from the back of the pack to win the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby by a neck over race favorite Renegade.
Daisy Phipps Pulito and the Phipps Stable Legacy
The Phipps name is one of the most storied in American thoroughbred racing. Daisy Phipps Pulito carries on a family tradition that stretches back generations, with the Phipps family long associated with elite breeding and racing on the East Coast. For Pulito personally, the 2026 Derby was a milestone: it marked her first Kentucky Derby victory as an owner, a moment that added a new chapter to an already distinguished family legacy in the sport.
The Phipps approach to horse ownership reflects a philosophy that has become increasingly rare in modern racing — breed your own, develop patiently, and resist the temptation to flip horses at auction. Golden Tempo was never listed at Keeneland or Fasig-Tipton. He came up through the operation as a homebred, which means his owners had a relationship with him from day one. That kind of continuity often produces horses with well-managed development arcs, and Golden Tempo's Derby performance suggested exactly that: a horse who knew his job and delivered when it counted most.
Vincent Viola and St. Elias Stables
St. Elias Stable, owned by Vincent Viola, brings its own remarkable Derby pedigree to the partnership. Viola is best known outside horse racing as the founder of Virtu Financial and a former owner of the Florida Panthers NHL franchise, but within racing circles, his name carries real weight. St. Elias Stable previously held a stake in Always Dreaming, the 2017 Kentucky Derby champion — meaning Viola has now been part of two Derby-winning ownership groups.
That kind of repeat success at the Derby is extraordinarily rare. Churchill Downs' most famous race draws the best three-year-olds in North America, and winning it once is a career achievement for most involved. Winning twice — even as a co-owner across different horses — puts Viola in rarefied company. St. Elias has invested heavily in elite thoroughbred racing over the years, and Golden Tempo's victory cements the stable's status as one of the sport's most successful ownership operations.
Golden Tempo: The Horse Himself
Understanding who owns Golden Tempo is only part of the story. The horse himself is the product of exceptional bloodlines assembled with clear intent. Golden Tempo's pedigree reads like a who's-who of American racing royalty.
- Sire: Curlin — A Hall of Fame thoroughbred who won the 2007 Preakness Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic and was named American Horse of the Year in both 2007 and 2008. Curlin is widely regarded as one of the greatest American racehorses of the modern era and has proven equally dominant as a stallion.
- Dam: Carrumba — A Grade 3 winner who claimed the Top Flight Invitational Handicap at Aqueduct in 2016, giving Golden Tempo both proven class and soundness on his dam's side.
- Extended pedigree — Golden Tempo's bloodline traces back to Triple Crown winners Secretariat (1973) and Seattle Slew (1977), two of the most celebrated horses in American racing history.
Golden Tempo was foaled on February 7, 2023, making him a young three-year-old on Derby day. He entered the race with 25-1 odds — long enough that casual bettors mostly looked elsewhere, but not so long that serious handicappers dismissed him entirely. Under jockey Jose Ortiz, he sat well back in the 18-horse field early, a tactical decision that looked questionable through the first turn but brilliant by the final furlong.
The Race: A Wild Comeback
According to the New York Post's race recap, Golden Tempo's victory was the kind of stretch run that reminds you why the Derby is called the most exciting two minutes in sports. Coming from way back in the field, Ortiz angled Golden Tempo into the clear around the final turn and let the Curlin son unleash his finishing kick. Renegade, the race favorite, had the lead at the top of the stretch — but Golden Tempo ran him down in the final strides, winning by a neck in a finish that had the crowd at Churchill Downs on its feet.
It was the first Kentucky Derby win for Jose Ortiz, one of thoroughbred racing's most respected jockeys. Ortiz has ridden in the Derby before, but Derby victories require everything to fall into place — pace, positioning, a healthy horse, and some luck. On May 2, 2026, it all came together.
Cherie DeVaux: The Historic Trainer
Trainer Cherie DeVaux made history alongside Golden Tempo's owners. DeVaux became the first woman ever to train a Kentucky Derby winner in the race's 152-year history — a barrier that had stood since the Derby's inaugural running in 1875. She is only the second female trainer to win any Triple Crown race, after Jena Antonucci, whose horse Arcangelo won the 2023 Belmont Stakes.
DeVaux accomplished this in her first-ever Derby start as a trainer — a detail that makes the achievement even more remarkable. The Derby is notoriously difficult to navigate even for trainers who have sent horses there a dozen times. Sending your first starter and winning is nearly unheard of. The previous best Derby finish by a female trainer was a runner-up in 1992, when Shelley Riley finished second with Casual Lies. DeVaux didn't just break the barrier — she cleared it at a sprint.
The 2026 Kentucky Derby didn't just produce a long-shot winner. It produced two historic firsts simultaneously: the first female winning trainer and the first Derby win for one of racing's top jockeys.
Why It Matters Beyond the Race
Golden Tempo's victory and the people behind it carry implications that extend well beyond a single race result. For the sport of horse racing, DeVaux's breakthrough as a trainer challenges long-held assumptions about who belongs in positions of leadership in elite thoroughbred competition. Training a Derby winner requires deep expertise, sharp horsemanship, and the confidence of powerful ownership groups — all of which DeVaux clearly has.
For the ownership model, Golden Tempo's homebred background is a quiet rebuke to the increasingly speculative nature of modern horse purchasing. In an era when yearlings routinely sell for seven figures at auction, a horse who never entered that market winning the most prestigious race in American racing makes a case for patient, long-term breeding programs over checkbook assembly.
The race also matters in the context of a sport working to expand its audience. The Derby already draws millions of casual viewers each year, but a historic first — especially one as clear and resonant as the first female winning trainer — tends to pull in people who wouldn't otherwise watch. That kind of milestone has staying power in sports culture.
What Happens Next: The Triple Crown Picture
With the Derby behind them, the ownership group and DeVaux now face the question every Derby-winning team confronts: what's the path forward through the Triple Crown? The Preakness Stakes follows in two weeks, with the Belmont Stakes completing the series in June. Golden Tempo's sire Curlin won the Preakness in 2007, which gives the colt a bloodline connection to the second leg. Whether DeVaux and the Phipps-Viola partnership choose to take on the full series will be one of the most watched decisions in racing over the coming weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Golden Tempo?
Golden Tempo is owned jointly by Phipps Stable, represented by Daisy Phipps Pulito, and St. Elias Stables, owned by Vincent Viola. Both are prominent figures in American thoroughbred racing, and neither purchased Golden Tempo at auction — he was bred by his owners.
Has Vincent Viola won the Kentucky Derby before?
Yes. St. Elias Stable previously held a stake in Always Dreaming, who won the 2017 Kentucky Derby. Golden Tempo's win gives Viola his second Derby victory across two different horses and ownership partnerships — an uncommon achievement in the sport.
Who is Cherie DeVaux and why is her win historic?
Cherie DeVaux is the trainer who prepared Golden Tempo for the 2026 Kentucky Derby. Her win made her the first woman in the race's 152-year history to train a Kentucky Derby winner. She is only the second woman to win any Triple Crown race, after Jena Antonucci won the 2023 Belmont Stakes with Arcangelo. Remarkably, this was DeVaux's first-ever Derby starter.
What are Golden Tempo's bloodlines?
Golden Tempo is a son of Curlin, the Hall of Fame thoroughbred who won the 2007 Preakness Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic and was named American Horse of the Year twice. His dam is Carrumba, a Grade 3 stakes winner. His extended pedigree includes Triple Crown champions Secretariat and Seattle Slew.
How long were Golden Tempo's odds at the 2026 Kentucky Derby?
Golden Tempo went off at 25-1 odds, making him a significant long shot in a field of 18 horses. He won by a neck over race favorite Renegade, coming from well back in the field under jockey Jose Ortiz in one of the more dramatic stretch runs in recent Derby history.
Is Golden Tempo eligible for the Triple Crown?
Yes. As the Kentucky Derby winner, Golden Tempo is eligible to compete in the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, which together with the Derby form the Triple Crown series. Whether the Phipps-Viola ownership group and trainer Cherie DeVaux choose to pursue the full series remains to be seen, but his sire Curlin's own Preakness victory in 2007 adds an interesting pedigree dimension to the question.
