When Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby in 2006, he looked like the hot favorite to win the Preakness a couple of weeks later, too. But that 14-day window was not enough for him to recover as the race neared. Still, he went on to run in the Preakness Stakes, and during the race, he suffered a severe hind leg injury that ended his racing career. Now, twenty years later in 2026, the Kentucky Derby winner’s trainer, Cherie DeVaux, has made a similar but more cautious call with Golden Tempo. But this decision has left some fans concerned, as the debate over Triple Crown timing and modern horse recovery concerns rages on.

DeVaux, who became the first woman to train a Derby winner, along with the owners, decided to skip the Preakness. “After much thoughtful discussion as a team, we have decided that Golden Tempo will bypass the Preakness Stakes. We are incredibly appreciative of the excitement and support surrounding the possibility of a Triple Crown run…,” she wrote on X.

She also explained the reasoning behind it, “Golden gave us the race of a lifetime in the Kentucky Derby, and we believe the best decision for him moving forward is to give him a little more time following such a tremendous effort. His health, happiness, and long-term future will always remain our top priority.” Instead, the team has now set its sights on the Belmont Stakes, scheduled for June 6 at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York.

DeVaux also carries a personal link to the racecourse, as she is from Saratoga Springs, which is hosting the Belmont for a third and final time this year. Interestingly, Golden Tempo is the third Kentucky Derby winner in the past five years to skip the Preakness Stakes. Overall, it is the sixth time in eight years that the Preakness will be run without a true Triple Crown chance on the line.

Only American Pharaoh in 2015 and Justify in 2018 have managed to sweep all three races in recent decades, which shows just how rare the achievement has become. But now, as Cherie DeVaux skipped the race, it has left some fans disappointed that the full Triple Crown chase will not continue this year, and a few were wondering what it means for the future of the Preakness.

Short recovery window sparks fresh triple crown debate

“A disappointing decision, but from my perspective, the Preakness is too close to the Derby and should be further apart to let the horses recover. This is a wise decision for the horse’s future. I hope he does well in the Belmont!” a fan added.

The primary issue is that the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes are only a couple of weeks apart, something that used to be considered the norm, but many owners and trainers are now casting doubt on it. The current top-level race calendar does appear a bit cramped for horses after a hard race such as the Derby, but most will require 2-4 weeks to recover. That’s led Maryland’s racing leaders to consider moving the Preakness one week later, from the third Saturday in May to the fourth. But this year makes that even more apparent.

None of the 18 horses that ran in the Derby at Churchill Downs are heading to the Preakness, with Golden Tempo being the only one briefly in consideration before his team chose to skip it.

Even one more suggested, “The Maryland Jockey Club should move the Preakness back to mid-July, which would put it 5 weeks out from the Belmont and 5 weeks before the Travers. This way, top-caliber horses could compete in all 4 premier races for 3-year-olds. If not, the Preakness is going to continue to lose prominence and may risk getting downgraded one day.”

Another fan added, “You made the right move. Now it’s up to the @PreaknessStakes to finally do the right thing and move the race back by (preferably) two weeks.” One more added, “Horse racing must adjust, they have to secure an agreement with all horse owners who enter into the Kentucky Derby that if they win, they must make a good faith effort to go for the triple crown, what a let down and once in a lifetime shot. What a bummer for the sport.”

Golden Tempo won the 2026 Kentucky Derby on May 2, closing from deep in the field to beat favorite Renegade by a neck at 23-1 odds. Ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Cherie DeVaux, he ran the race in 2:02.27 after having to pass most of the field in the final stretch. Yet despite that kind of effort, he has now been kept out of the next leg of the Triple Crown.

Even so, the 2026 Preakness is still expected to draw attention. This year, the race will be held at Laurel Park in Maryland while Pimlico Race Course is being rebuilt, and around 15 horses are reportedly being considered. Among them is Crude Velocity from trainer Bob Baffert, who won the Pat Day Mile on Derby day and would have likely been the early favorite even if Golden Tempo had entered.

Other names in the mix include Champagne Stakes winner Napoleon Solo, Arkansas Derby runner-up Silent Tactic, and Great White, who made headlines after rearing at the starting gate before the Kentucky Derby and ultimately scratching from the race.

More racing enthusiasts added, “This hurts the Triple Crown process if there isn’t an incentive for the horse to compete in the Preakness. I’m all for the safety and well-being of the horse. Golden Tempo is a prized steed, and I know his breeding rights will fetch quite a price, and we want him to lead and live a long life. But what about the Triple Crown process? Too many horses are skipping, and it’s not fun. There has to be an incentive for the Derby winner to go for the Preakness.”

Interestingly, Golden Tempo will become the third Kentucky Derby winner in the past five years to skip the Preakness Stakes, joining Rich Strike (2022) and Sovereignty (2025). This stands in sharp contrast to the earlier era, when from 1997 to 2018 every Derby winner continued straight into the Preakness, keeping the Triple Crown path intact. That streak eventually broke in 2019 when Country House did not run. But the main reason behind this shift is how the sport has changed.

Modern training places more focus on recovery, long-term performance, and breeding value. Trainer Cherie DeVaux addressed this balance directly, saying, “The Triple Crown is hard to win for a reason. Horses are definitely different. They’re not built the same. They’re not trained the same as back then. But current times have shown that it can be done with the right horse.”

Put together, the situation shows a clear tension. On one side is tradition, where fans expect a continuous Triple Crown chase. On the other is modern racing reality, where protecting the horse and planning a longer career often takes priority.