Golden Tempo takes the Kentucky Derby as Cherie DeVaux becomes the 1st woman to train its winner

Kentucky Derby entrant Golden Tempo works out at Churchill Downs Friday, May 1, 2026, in Louisville, Ky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Cherie DeVaux spent the week talking a lot about the possibility of becoming the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner as she got ready to be just the 18th to enter a horse in the crown jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown with Golden Tempo.

Charging from the back of the pack and down the stretch to win the Derby, Golden Tempo made history for DeVaux, taking her breath away in the process and rendering her nearly speechless.

“I don’t even have any words right now,” DeVaux said. “I just can’t.”

DeVaux is just the second female trainer to win any Triple Crown race after Jena Antonucci won with Arcangelo in the 2023 Belmont Stakes. She won the Derby in her first opportunity, eight years since starting her own stable.

“Being a woman or my gender has never really crossed my mind in this journey of mine,” DeVaux said. “I’m glad I can be a representative of all women everywhere that we can do anything we set our minds do.”

During the week, DeVaux shifted from downplaying what it would mean to be the first woman to train a Derby winner to understanding she’s a role model to girls who might want to follow in her footsteps someday.

“I’m just glad I don’t have to answer that question anymore,” DeVaux said a little over an hour after the crowning achievement of her career. “There was a joke about me being one and done, but I think I’m going to need to do this again.”

DeVaux, who credits growing up with seven brothers and two sisters for her toughness, downplayed Golden Tempo’s cracked heels as a nonfactor. She also worked hard to get the colt into form long before the Kentucky Derby, trying blinkers and other things to get him to focus.

Jockey Jose Ortiz even described Golden Tempo as lazy. But Ortiz showed what he and the horse could do on Saturday, winning the Derby for the first time in his 11th try.

Ortiz navigated past 17 other horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch. With a crowd of more than 100,000 watching and roaring at Churchill Downs, Golden Tempo passed favorite Renegade -- ridden by brother Irad -- just before the wire to win the 1 1/4-mile race in 2:02.27 at odds of 23-1.

Their parents were there to witness it.

“I get to ride it almost every year, but to get to win it, it’s just special,” said Ortiz, who also won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday aboard Always a Runner. “I just wish my grandpa was here, but I know he’s looking from heaven. Just very happy that I get my goal, my life dream goal achieved.”

Golden Tempo paid US$48.24 to win, $19.14 to place and $11.90 to show. Renegade paid $7.14 to place and $5.46 to show. Ocelli -- who didn’t get into the field until Thursday when Brad Cox’s Fulleffort was ruled out -- paid $36.34 to show.

The Kentucky Derby went on with just 18 horses. Great White was a late scratch after flipping and throwing his jockey. Track veterinarians made the call to scratch the long shot who got into the field Wednesday when Silent Tactic was ruled out because of a foot injury. The Puma was out, less than 12 hours before post time, because of a swollen leg from a skin infection.

Great White’s trainer, John Ennis, confirmed to The Associated Press that the big gray gelding and jockey Alex Achard were fine.

Great White became the fifth horse scratched this week and the second Saturday. Silent Tactic was ruled out Wednesday, Fulleffort on Thursday and Right to Party on Friday, with Great White, Ocelli and Robusta getting in.

Asked about whether Golden Tempo would run in the Preakness Stakes on May 16, DeVaux said the decision would be made in the coming days depending on how the horse is.

“We’re going to let him decide that,” DeVaux said. “We’re going to have to allow him to tell us because the horse is first.”

Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press