On May 2 at Churchill Downs in Kentucky, Golden Tempo crossed the finish line first to win the 152nd Kentucky Derby, and in doing so, made history. Golden Tempo’s trainer, Cherie DeVaux, became the first female trainer to ever win the Derby, and just the second to win a Triple Crown race.
In a race often called “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” Golden Tempo’s comeback from dead last was unforgettable. This run for the ages meant passing all 17 other horses and covering a gap so wide it had Golden Tempo outside of the television frame for most of the race.
Golden Tempo’s 23-1 odds, or far-back positioning early on, weren’t things that had DeVaux worried for the notorious closer. According to apnews.com, she said, “That’s how he runs. So it’s not like we really did anything different than he had done in his previous starts.”
As jockey Jose Ortiz weaved through horses before eventually taking a wide outside line, the race ended with Jose Ortiz pulling a neck ahead of his older brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., who was riding No. 1 Renegade. After 11 Kentucky Derbys, Jose Ortiz finally got his first win on top of Golden Tempo with a final time of 2:02.27.
While the victory is a lifetime achievement in itself, the importance of this race as a barrier-breaking moment was not missed by DeVaux. Reluctant to talk about what a win could mean for women in sports until after the race, DeVaux said, “I’m just glad I could be a representative of all women everywhere — to show that we can do anything we set our minds to.”
In a social and political climate that has seen misogyny on the rise, the breaking of such a long-standing glass ceiling is a massive boost for equal opportunities in sports, especially in horseracing. After the race, DeVaux and her family were ecstatic. Her daughter, in tears, expressed how proud she was of her mother and how much of an inspiration this win is.
Born near Saratoga Springs, NY, a place embedded with horseracing heritage, the sport has been a part of DeVaux’s identity for many years. In the years prior to her career as a head trainer, DeVaux gained experience working under trainers Chuck Simon and Chad Brown, both with hundreds of victories between themselves, including two Preakness Stakes victories.
Since getting her trainer’s license in 2018, DeVaux has been one of the most successful trainers in the horseracing world, racking up over 290 wins in her career thus far. Regarding her success in a male-dominated field, DeVaux’s message is one of someone that is aware that equality comes from being respected based on merit, regardless of gender. “I always wanted to focus on my career,” she told CNN. “And using my gender as part of that conversation never really crossed my mind.”