Golden Tempo gives Curlin first Kentucky Derby winner, completes Triple Crown sweep

Curlin finally has a Kentucky Derby winner, and Golden Tempo’s late run at Churchill Downs completed a rare Triple Crown sweep for one of the most influential stallions in modern American racing. The 22-year-old sire, who stands at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm, now has winners in all three legs of the series, a milestone that turns a longtime promise into a definitive breeding achievement.

Golden Tempo delivered it in the 152nd Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs, roaring from off the pace in deep stretch to beat 17 rivals by a neck over Renegade. The longshot’s victory gave Curlin his first Derby winner after years of coming close. Before Golden Tempo, Curlin had already sired three Kentucky Derby runners-up, Exaggerator, Good Magic and Journalism, a trail of near misses that made the Derby breakthrough feel overdue.

The rest of Curlin’s Triple Crown résumé had already been established through a series of major winners. Palace Malice won the 2013 Belmont Stakes, Exaggerator captured the 2016 Preakness Stakes and Journalism added the 2025 Preakness to the ledger. With Golden Tempo’s Derby win, Curlin is now the sire of winners in every Triple Crown race, a feat that reflects not only quality but stamina, consistency and versatility across classic distances.

That matters because Curlin’s own career was built on the same qualities he is now passing on. He won the 2007 Preakness Stakes, finished third in the 2007 Kentucky Derby and later took the Breeders’ Cup Classic, before going on to become a two-time Horse of the Year and a Hall of Fame inductee. Golden Tempo’s victory made the argument in the clearest possible way: Curlin’s legacy is no longer just about producing good horses, but about shaping classic horses that can perform on the sport’s biggest stages.

Golden Tempo also adds a fresh layer to that pedigree story. He is out of Carrumba, a daughter of Bernardini, and he was the first winner from Carrumba’s two starters. In a game where breeding reputations are built over years and measured in marquee races, Curlin’s sweep of the Triple Crown now stands as one of the strongest modern endorsements of classic bloodlines.