Cherie DeVaux Becomes First Woman to Train Derby Winner

A horse named Golden Tempo just rewrote sports history with one breathtaking final stretch at Churchill Downs.

The 23-1 longshot surged from dead last to win the Kentucky Derby by a neck on Saturday, making Cherie DeVaux the first woman ever to train the winner of American flat racing's most prestigious race. Jockey Joe Ortiz guided Golden Tempo past the favorite in the final moments of the 152nd Derby, crossing the finish line in front of a roaring crowd.

The victory was especially sweet for DeVaux, who began her career at Churchill Downs 22 years ago as an exercise rider. "I started my career here as a bright-eyed bushy tailed exercise rider and I would not believe that I would be sitting up here today," she said after the win.

Golden Tempo sat at the back of the 18-horse field with just half a mile to go in the one and quarter mile race. The favorite, Renegade, was also far behind, trailing by about 15 lengths at the midway point.

But both horses found another gear in the final stretch. Renegade stormed toward the front, and for a moment it looked like the favorite would win.

Then Golden Tempo appeared on the outside. In a thrilling finish that had DeVaux barely able to watch, Ortiz urged the horse past Renegade right at the wire, winning by a neck in 2 minutes, 2.27 seconds.

The victory earned the owners $3.1 million in prize money. But the real treasure was the barrier DeVaux shattered.

Why This Inspires

DeVaux's journey from exercise rider to history-making trainer took determination and faith. In 2017, she stood at a crossroads, unsure if she should pursue training.

Her husband encouraged her to try, seeing potential she didn't see in herself. "He had the faith in me and he saw what I didn't see and believed in me," DeVaux said.

Now she stands alongside Jena Antonucci, who trained Arcangelo to win the 2023 Belmont Stakes, as the only women to train Triple Crown race winners in the United States. DeVaux has saddled 298 winners in 1,802 career starts, building her success one race at a time.

"I'm glad I could be a representative of women everywhere," she told NBC Sports, her voice full of emotion.

Ortiz made his own history too, becoming just the ninth jockey to win both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby in the same year. His brother Irad, riding Renegade, came heartbreakingly close to his own Derby dream but congratulated Joe on the victory.

Sometimes the greatest victories come from believing in yourself when others see what you cannot.