LOUISVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — Golden Tempo's farrier says winning the 2026 Kentucky Derby was the best moment of his more than 30-year career.
Chad Boston, who is responsible for the Derby winner's hoof care, grew up in Louisville surrounded by the craft. His father was a horseshoer, and his brother is a horseshoer who has shod several Derby winners. This year marked Boston's first.
"I would have to say now that the Kentucky Derby this year was my best moment. I'm from Louisville. My father was a horseshoer. My brother's a horseshoer. My brother has shod several Derby winners. And this was my first," Boston said.
As Golden Tempo's farrier, Boston is part of the team responsible for keeping the horse race-ready. He says hoof care is one of the most critical elements in the sport.
"There's an old saying, no foot, no horse. And it is a very important part of horse racing. I've had horses before that have hurt their foot and they're unable to race for an extended amount of time," Boston said.
Boston described watching Golden Tempo's run down the stretch as an intensely emotional experience.
"It was a very emotional moment for me. Kind of reliving it now actually," Boston said.
Golden Tempo came from behind to win, and Boston said he felt every moment of it.
"Once you saw that he was last, you know, you're just like, OK, you know, you know he likes to come from behind and just watching him and then he kind of swung out and he was picking it up and you know and you're picking it up and picking it up. You didn't want to be standing next to me I can tell you that," Boston said.
For Boston, a Kentucky Derby win is the pinnacle of his profession, the equivalent of a championship in any other sport.
"If you play NFL in the NFL, you want to win the Super Bowl. If you, if you play baseball, you want to win the World Series, and this is definitely, you know, that for us," Boston said.
Boston says Golden Tempo has made his job a rewarding one.
"For the most part, he's a pretty straightforward horse and he's kind to work on. He's very relaxed. I think he loves his job and, you know, at the end of the day, I love my job so we get along pretty well," Boston said.
His role, in his own words, is straightforward.
"My part with him is just to take care of his feet," Boston said.
