Golden Tempo (c, 3, Curlin–Carrumba, by Bernardini), tabbed as a ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’ in a last-to-first debut victory sprinting at Fair Grounds Dec. 20, ran by them all once again to stay perfect with a 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s GIII Lecomte S. at Fair Grounds, good for 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Mesquite (Union Rags) rounded out the Cherie DeVaux-trained exacta. Longshot Carson Street (Street Sense), forwardly placed throughout, held on for third.

The 5-2 favorite raced toward the rear through fractions of :23.72 and :47.11. The Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stables homebred began to make his way through traffic beneath Jose Ortiz on the far turn and shot through an inviting opening along the inside in the stretch to get the money.



“The horse broke a little slow like he did the first time,” Ortiz said. “Sometimes as a rider, you get your hands tied. I knew that track was playing forward, but if I have a horse like him, that doesn’t have early speed, what can you do? I was just very patient. I followed Mesquite until the three-eighths pole, he went outside and I went inside. Luckily, I got an opening and the horse did the rest. I’m very impressed. I was a little bit worried because you never know how a horse is going to react going two turns for the first time and he was facing stakes horses for the first time.”

DeVaux added, “When Jose started picking him up, I was a little worried with him being inexperienced that he was making his move on the inside. He did idle a little bit but then he came back on nicely.”

She continued, “So excited for both horses. Elated for the owners.”

Pedigree Notes:

Golden Tempo becomes the 67th graded/118th stakes winner for leading sire Curlin.

The winner’s dam was raced by the Phippses to a victory in the GIII Top Flight Handicap and was third to Cavorting (Bernardini) in the GI Ogden Phipps Stakes in 2016. Placed three times at the graded level at five in 2017, Carrumba concluded her career with a mark of 4-6-3 from 15 starts.

Golden Tempo’s third dam is Dancinginmydreams, a full-sister to champion Heavenly Prize and Oh What A Windfall, and runner-up in the GI Matron Stakes in 2000. Her four winners from seven to race included GI Manhattan Handicap hero Dancing Forever (Rahy).

The cross of Curlin over the late Bernardini is also responsible for Grade I winners Clairiere and Paris Lights.

Carrumba is also the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Nyquist and a yearling filly by Liam’s Map. She was barren to Good Magic for 2026.

 

Saturday, Fair Grounds
LECOMTE S.-GIII, $250,000, Fair Grounds, 1-17, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.98, ft.
1–GOLDEN TEMPO, 122, c, 3, by Curlin
            1st Dam: Carrumba (GSW & GISP, $621,500),
                        by Bernardini
            2nd Dam: Castanet, by El Prado (Ire)
            3rd Dam: Dancinginmydreams, by Seeking the Gold
‘TDN Rising Star’. 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. O/B-Phipps Stable & St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Cherie
DeVaux; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $150,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
$183,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mesquite, 122, c, 3, Union Rags–Taurasi, by Mineshaft.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-LBD Stable,
LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $50,000.
3–Carson Street, 122, c, 3, Street Sense–Miz Kella, by Harlan’s
Holiday. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($125,000 Ylg ’24 KEESEP). O-Ike and Dawn Thrash;
B-Stonehaven Steadings (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $25,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, 3/4. Odds: 2.70, 4.20, 15.10.
Also Ran: Chip Honcho, Quality Mischief, Exosome, Stop the Car, Crown the Buckeye, White Tiger, Thunder Buck. Scratched: Ocelli. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.