'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Golden Tempo (Curlin), the Keeneland-based winner of GI Kentucky Derby, on Saturday had his final work in preparation for the GI Belmont Stakes June 6 at Saratoga Race Course, the track said in a press release on Saturday morning.
With jockey Jose Ortiz aboard for trainer Cherie DeVaux, the colt covered four furlongs on a fast track in :48.20.
At 7:30 a.m. ET–after the first morning renovation period–Golden Tempo worked on the inside of 4-year-old stakes-placed winner So Sandy (Omaha Beach). Golden Tempo produced fractions of :23.80, :36, :48.20 and out five-eighths in 1:01 and three-quarters in 1:14.80.
Golden Tempo is expected to leave for New York on Sunday afternoon.
“Golden Tempo worked really well this morning, all systems go, an easy maintenance half for him, so as long as everything looks good in the morning, he'll ship out to New York in the afternoon,” DeVaux told FanDuel TV's Caton Bredar between races Saturday at Churchill Downs.
A homebred racing for Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, Golden Tempo charged from last place to win the Kentucky Derby by a neck. The following day, he returned to DeVaux's barn at the Keeneland Training Center–commonly called “Rice Road” and named after the road that runs from Versailles Road through the west side of Keeneland's property to Van Meter Road.
Golden Tempo had three works here: four furlongs in :48.60 on a fast track on Friday, May 15; five furlongs in 1:00.20 on a good track on Saturday, May 23; and Saturday's move.
A son of Curlin, Golden Tempo has won three races in five starts and earned $3,433,000. At Fair Grounds in New Orleans, he won the Jan. 17 GIII Lecomte Stakes and was third in both the Feb. 14 GII Risen Star Stakes and the Mar. 21 GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby.
Golden Tempo then shipped to Keeneland, where he had four weekly timed works before the Kentucky Derby.
The draw for post positions for the Belmont will be held Monday, June 1 at 5 p.m. ET.
A closer look at the final breeze for GI @KentuckyDerby winner GOLDEN TEMPO (inside with @jose93_ortiz up) ahead of his start in the June 6 GI @BelmontStakes at Saratoga 💨 He worked in company with stablemate So Sandy. pic.twitter.com/XRffmqYzll
— TDN (@theTDN) May 30, 2026
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