Louisville, Ky. — History was made Saturday at Kentucky Derby, as trainer Cherie DeVaux watched her horse, Golden Tempo, storm from the back of the field to claim a dramatic victory at Churchill Downs.
After days of questions about the possibility of becoming the first woman to win the Derby, DeVaux admitted the moment left her overwhelmed.
“I’m relieved I don’t have to answer that anymore,” she said, smiling as the crowd responded with loud applause.
Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Golden Tempo started near the rear of the 18-horse field before launching a powerful run around the final turn. Charging down the stretch in front of more than 100,000 spectators, he overtook the favored Renegade—piloted by Ortiz’s brother, Irad Ortiz Jr.—just before the finish line to win by a neck. The colt, listed at 23-1 odds, completed the mile-and-a-quarter race in 2:02.27.
With the victory, DeVaux joined Jena Antonucci—who won the 2023 Belmont Stakes with Arcangelo—as one of the few women to train a Triple Crown race winner. She was also only the 18th woman to saddle a horse in Derby history, surpassing previous milestones set by pioneers like Shelley Riley.
DeVaux said the significance of the achievement truly resonated earlier in the week when she saw a young girl watching horses train.
“It means a lot to show what’s possible,” she said. “You can come from anywhere and still make history.”
Her path to this moment was shaped by a competitive upbringing alongside seven brothers and two sisters. Reflecting on her journey—from exercise rider to Derby-winning trainer—DeVaux credited years of persistence and the encouragement of her husband for pushing her to pursue her own stable.
“I never imagined I’d be here,” she said. “Not in a million years.”
Golden Tempo’s road to victory wasn’t without challenges. DeVaux addressed concerns during the week about minor physical issues and worked extensively to fine-tune the colt’s focus, experimenting with equipment changes. Ortiz even described the horse as needing motivation—but on race day, both rider and horse delivered.
The win marked Ortiz’s first Derby triumph after 11 attempts, coming just one day after his victory in the Kentucky Oaks.
“To finally win this race—it’s everything,” Ortiz said. “This has always been my dream.”
Despite Golden Tempo trailing the field for much of the race, DeVaux remained calm.
“That’s his style,” she explained. “We didn’t change anything.”
Ortiz began advancing steadily around the far turn and chose a wide path entering the stretch, avoiding traffic while gaining momentum. With a quarter-mile remaining, he set his sights on Renegade.
“I knew I had something left,” Ortiz said. “Going outside felt like the right move.”
Golden Tempo surged past the competition in the final strides, sealing the upset and rewarding backers with a $48.24 win payout.
Behind the top two, longshot Ocelli finished third after entering the field late due to a series of pre-race scratches.
This year’s Derby lineup was reduced to 18 horses following multiple withdrawals, including a last-minute incident involving Great White, who was scratched after a pre-race mishap. Fortunately, both the horse and jockey were reported to be unharmed.
With the $5 million victory secured, attention quickly turned to whether Golden Tempo would compete in the upcoming Preakness Stakes. DeVaux made it clear the decision will prioritize the horse’s well-being.
“We’ll let him tell us,” she said. “Everything we do is for him—not for us.”
