Kentucky
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo faces a pace challenge in the Belmont Stakes – WTOP News
The front-running horses in the Kentucky Derby last month completed the first quarter-mile in under 23 seconds and a half-mile in under 47 seconds.
The front-running horses in the Kentucky Derby last month completed the first quarter-mile in under 23 seconds and a half-mile in under 47 seconds.
That blistering pace paved the way for Golden Tempo’s last-to-first charge from the back of the pack to win by a neck. Five weeks later, the Cherie DeVaux-trained colt is among the top contenders in the 158th rendition of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, even if there does not appear to be as much early speed in the field.
That could mean jockey Jose Ortiz has to ride a much different race to close out the Triple Crown than the masterful way he did to start it, especially considering the stiff competition from morning line favorite and Derby runner-up Renegade, as well as others returning to the track who ran in that race at Churchill Downs on May 2.
“We just have to hope that a pace materializes with his running style,” DeVaux said. “If that does not happen, Jose is going to have to come up with plan B to where he just doesn’t give himself so much to do in the later stages of the race.”
Ortiz and Golden Tempo blew by brother Irad and Renegade just before the finish line at the Derby, needing every bit of the 1 1/4 miles. With this being the third and final time the Belmont takes place at Saratoga in upstate New York, it is also 1 1/4 miles before reverting to 1 1/2 next year.
That suits Renegade just fine following his strong run in Kentucky.
“Overall, he came out of the race well,” said Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who also has Powershift in the field of nine in the Belmont. “Like a lot of horses who run in the Derby, he was a little bit tired immediately after the race. But we gave him a few days to recover.”
The fast fractions in the Derby set the stage for closer-style horses such as Golden Tempo and Renegade. Not so much for Commandment, who went off as the third choice in wagering at 6-1 that day.
Trainer Brad Cox likes what he has seen out of Commandment working out and galloping since and chalks up the last race to trying to keep up with the leaders too much.
“If you were in the first half of the pack in the first quarter-mile, it just didn’t work out real well for most of those horses,” Cox said. “I do think if you zero in on him and watch his race in the Derby, I thought he actually ran pretty well, just obviously wasn’t the result we were looking for.”
Commandment opened at 6-1 for the Belmont, longer odds than Renegade at 2-1, Bill Mott-trained Chief Wallabee at 3-1 and Golden Tempo at 9-1, and the same as Emerging Market.
“I think he’s a little bit forgotten,” Cox said. “I do think horse racing is made up of what have you done lately. … A lot of it comes down to what you did in your last race. And obviously, that was not the performance we were looking for in the Derby, but I thought it was a good run.”
All eyes are on Golden Tempo, who did not run in the Preakness after DeVaux and owners opted for extra rest. It’s the same thing Mott did a year ago with Sovereignty following his Kentucky Derby victory, and the end result was winning the Belmont.
DeVaux expects Golden Tempo to run his normal race and is counting on the horse and Ortiz aboard to navigate the conditions the Belmont presents.
“It’s kind of just how the race unfolds in front of them and what Jose decides to do, and as well as Golden Tempo,” DeVaux said. “If there’s not a contentious pace, he should be closer, in theory. Jose can either get him closer earlier, or he needs to start his run earlier. … That’s going to have to be a game time decision that’s left up to him.”
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AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
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On Thursday, Kentucky’s home and away SEC opponents for the 2026-27 season were revealed and on top of learning the three opponents who they will play twice, there are some very intriguing matchups. In conference play, Kentucky will face six teams who are among the top 25 in many preseason rankings.
In SEC play, Kentucky will play Tennessee, Vandy and Ole Miss all both home and away. The home matchups include Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vandy. As for the road tilts, the Wildcats will face Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee and Vandy. Let’s take a look at some interesting developments from the schedule release.
John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena (again)
In Calipari’s first year with Arkansas, he got the best of Kentucky when he came into Rupp Arena and left with a 10-point victory, a game where you could really feel the tension all game long in the building from Kentucky fans, which translated onto the court with the players. Last season, it was Kentucky who shocked everyone when they stole one on the road against a top 20 Arkansas team after a rough up-and-down season up to that point. Now, the two will face off again as Kentucky will look to get the win in Rupp and make sure Calipari doesn’t get two in a row in the building. It’ll be another highly-anticipated showdown.
Kentucky hits the road at Texas
This is shaping up to be a major challenge for Kentucky next season and may even end up being one of the biggest games of the season. Texas is seen by many as a clear top 10 team, with some even having them within the top five and when you combine that with the fact that the game is on the road, the Wildcats will have their hands full. The Wildcats fell to the longhorns in the 2024-25 season, and it’ll be a much stiffer challenge this time.
Which game could be a trap?
We don’t have the game-by-game dates yet, so it’s hard to say with a lot of confidence, but opponent-wise, Georgia could really give Kentucky fits. In Pope’s first year, his team struggled handling the physicality of the Bulldogs and now, they’ve retained one of their best guards for another year and have added physicality through the portal. Mike White’s teams love to make opponents uncomfortable and they could do that once again down in Athens. Another sneaky team to watch is Oklahoma, who will have very good guard play. Kentucky will face both teams on the road.
Overall, it’s a pretty fair SEC schedule for a Kentucky team who has the capability of a return to being atop the conference once again. Mark Pope has such a system-fit squad and he can do some damage in the SEC.
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Fourth of July festivities to celebrate in Louisville
See the Fourth of July festivities planned in Louisville for America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Fourth of July is almost here, and Kentuckians are getting ready to light up the sky.
Before you plan your fireworks celebrations, it’s important to know what is and isn’t allowed under Kentucky law. Here’s what to know about fireworks laws and safety tips in the Bluegrass State ahead of Independence Day.
Can you set off fireworks in Kentucky?
Yes. As long as you live in a place where local ordinances don’t prohibit it, according to the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s website.
Are fireworks legal in Louisville?
In Louisville or Jefferson County, larger display fireworks are not legal due to a local law. Some consumer products that don’t leave the ground, such as sparklers, are allowed.
If the cautionary label on the firework has the words “explosive,” “emits flaming pellets,” “flaming balls,” “firecracker,” “report” or “rocket,” it is automatically a no-go, according to the Louisville-Jefferson County Code of Ordinances.
But, smaller ones like sparklers, cylindrical or cone fountains, wheels and ground spinners are legal. Still, don’t let the size fool you − they can burn up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Learn more: Check out these 4th of July events taking place across Kentucky
How to use fireworks safely
The state fire marshal suggests following the following advice when using fireworks:
- Use fireworks outdoors.
- Obey local laws.
- Keep a bucket of water or a working water hose nearby.
- Use fireworks as intended and avoid altering them or combining them.
- Never relight “dud” fireworks. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
- Spectators should keep a safe distance from the person lighting the firework (the individual lighting it should wear safety glasses).
- Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated adult operator.”
- Do not use homemade fireworks or illegal explosives.
- Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Read and follow all instructions on the label.
Former Courier Journal reporter Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
Which teams need to nail the NBA Draft the most?
Listing the teams that can least afford to mess up this year’s NBA draft.
LEXINGTON — Otega Oweh will begin his NBA career on the move.
The Miami Heat drafted Oweh in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday, June 24. Oweh was the No. 41 overall pick (and the 11th selection of the second round).
But he won’t remain in Miami: Oweh reportedly is part of a trade that will send him to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Oweh starred for Kentucky basketball the past two seasons. He was a primary component of the first and second squads of coach Mark Pope’s tenure at UK.
Here’s what to know about Oweh, the Wildcats’ newest draft selection:
Oweh began his time as a collegian at Oklahoma, where he spent two seasons. He played in 32 games (28 starts) for the Sooners in 2023-24, averaging 11.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1 assist per outing.
But he was a revelation at Kentucky, inarguably the team’s top player the past two seasons.
During his debut in 2024-25, Oweh paced the Wildcats in points per game (16.2) and double-digit efforts (33 times in 36 games). He started the season scoring 10 or more in the team’s first 26 games, which was the longest streak by a Kentucky player since Malik Monk did so 30 times in a row in 2016-17.
After going through the draft process and returning to UK, Oweh entered the 2025-26 campaign as the SEC’s preseason Player of the Year.
He wound up being every bit as consistent as in Year 1, scoring 10-plus points in 35 of the Cats’ 36 games. Oweh, who was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the league’s coaches, averaged a team-high 18.6 points per game.
He finished his Kentucky career with 1,255 points, the most ever by a player in his first two seasons with the program.
Along with his scoring prowess, Oweh also set single-season personal bests for rebounds (4.8), assists (2.7) and steals (1.8) per game.
Despite his standout two-year career with the Cats, Oweh was not a highly touted transfer portal prospect following the 2023-24 season. He was 31st according to 247Sports, while ESPN ranked him 59th and On3 didn’t even include him in its top 100.
Hailing from Blair Academy in New Jersey, Oweh was unanimously rated as a four-star prospect in the 2022 class, earning that ranking from Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN.
Oweh was slightly taller than 6-foot-4 (without shoes) at the NBA Draft Combine. During that testing, he weighed 216 pounds. That’s nearly identical to Oweh’s figures on Kentucky’s official 2025-26 roster, where he was listed at 6-4 and 220 pounds.
NBAdraft.net wrote that Oweh’s most logical pro comps are the Harrison twins — ex-UK greats Aaron and Andrew — and Josh Okogie.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
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