The gates open. You're slow out of the box. In fact, you are dead last.

You had this moment circled on your calendar for years. And now you're watching everyone else pull ahead. Here's the thing about races. They aren't won at the beginning, they're won at the end.

That's what Jose Ortiz knew when he settled Golden Tempo at the back of the pack in the 2026 Kentucky Derby. The horse was a 23-1 underdog. Nobody gave them a shot. And for a moment, it looked like the skeptics were right.

But then a huge opening presented itself. A perfect lane to make their move.

Ortiz and Golden Tempo took it. They kicked it into overdrive and passed every horse on the outside to complete the comeback. Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to ever win the race. And Ortiz got his first Derby win.

Here is the hard truth. That opening wouldn't have presented itself if his head had already been down because of their rough start. He stayed positive and trusted his training.

After the race, he had one message for young jockeys. "Have a good attitude and learn every day because it takes time."

That's it. That's the whole thing.

Your attitude is the first domino. And here's the best part. Regardless of what's happening around you, it's completely under your control. Ortiz could have come out of that gate slow and let his mind go negative. He didn't. He focused on what he could control, waited for his opening, and seized it.

Today, you do the same. Slow start or fast, stay positive. Your opening is coming.

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