History arrived at Churchill Downs on Saturday evening when Golden Tempo surged from last place in a field of 18 to win the 152nd Kentucky Derby, delivering trainer Cherie DeVaux a milestone no woman in the sport’s 152-year history had ever claimed. DeVaux became the first female trainer to prepare a Kentucky Derby winner, capping a rally that left more than 150,000 fans at the Louisville, Ky. track roaring.
Golden Tempo, a son of Curlin who entered the race at 36-1 odds, broke from post position 19 and quickly settled at the back of the pack — exactly as DeVaux expected. Jockey Jose Ortiz, competing in his 11th Derby attempt, began threading through traffic around the far turn. With a quarter-mile remaining, Golden Tempo was still 13th, but Ortiz guided the colt to the outside lane and the horse found another gear entirely. Golden Tempo swept past Renegade, the 5-1 morning-line favorite ridden by Ortiz’s older brother Irad, winning by a neck. The final time for the 1¼-mile race was 2:02.27.
DeVaux started her own stable in 2018 after spending 22 years working in the sport, beginning as an exercise rider. She credited her husband with persuading her to take the chance of training Golden Tempo for the Derby. On Saturday, she said she watched much of the race without concern, knowing her colt’s closing style. Golden Tempo paid $48.24 to win, $19.14 to place and $11.90 to show. Renegade finished second, owned by New York entrepreneur Mike Repole. Long-shot Ocelli, a 70-1 horse who only made the field Thursday when a late scratch opened a spot, rallied from off the pace to finish third.
DeVaux is only the second woman to train the winner of any Triple Crown race. Jena Antonucci won with Arcangelo in the 2023 Belmont Stakes, making DeVaux and Antonucci the two trail-blazers in a sport where male trainers have dominated since the Derby’s first running in 1875. DeVaux also became the first woman trainer to win both the Kentucky Oaks, run on Friday, and the Kentucky Derby in the same weekend. Ortiz won Friday’s Oaks aboard Always a Runner before completing his Derby dream on Saturday.
The victory resonated beyond the sport’s insular circles, drawing immediate comparisons to other firsts for women in high-profile athletic arenas. For South Carolina’s horse community, the achievement carries particular weight. The state’s equestrian culture runs deep: Aiken’s historic training track — opened in 1941 and located about 90 miles southwest of Spartanburg — has produced six Kentucky Derby winners over the decades, with champions including Shut Out (1942), Cannonade (1974) and Sea Hero (1993) all having trained there. The Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame preserves that legacy as the region continues to attract serious horsemen and horsewomen each winter and spring. Camden’s Carolina Cup, held March 28 this year at the Springdale Race Course, drew more than 30,000 fans to its 91st running, reinforcing South Carolina’s reputation as one of the South’s premier equestrian communities. For fans who gathered at Spartanburg-area viewing events for Saturday’s Run for the Roses, DeVaux’s win gave the already-celebrated race an extra dimension — proof that a trainer who bet on herself and pivoted her career could reshape a 152-year tradition.
The question now turns to the Preakness Stakes on May 16 at Laurel Park. DeVaux signaled she would let Golden Tempo’s recovery guide the decision, saying the horse’s well-being comes first. Owner Daisy Phipps Pulito has not announced a final decision. Ortiz, for his part, described the moment as the fulfillment of a lifelong goal, dedicating the win to his late grandfather who could not be there in person. Golden Tempo would enter any Preakness field as a significant factor after Saturday’s commanding stretch run.
