Who is Cherie DeVaux?

DeVaux is a thoroughbred trainer with more than 20 years of experience. She built her stable from assistant roles and had never before qualified a horse for the Kentucky Derby until Golden Tempo.

What are Golden Tempo's odds of winning the Triple Crown?

It is too early to assess his chances. He must first win the Preakness Stakes in two weeks and then the Belmont Stakes in June. Only 13 horses have ever swept all three races.

How many women have trained Kentucky Derby starters before?

Several women have saddled Derby starters over the decades, but none had won the race until DeVaux's victory with Golden Tempo on Saturday.

What does this mean for women in horse racing?

DeVaux's win breaks a significant barrier in a male-dominated profession. It may encourage more women to pursue training careers and could shift perceptions about gender in the sport.

Golden Tempo Wins Derby; DeVaux First Woman to Train Winner

LOUISVILLE —

LOUISVILLE — Golden Tempo surged to victory at the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, delivering a historic first: trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to saddle a winner in the race's century-and-a-half history. The colt, sent off at 23-1 odds, crossed the wire ahead of the field at Churchill Downs, capping an upset that rewrites the record books in American thoroughbred racing.

DeVaux's triumph breaks a barrier that has stood since the Derby's inaugural running in 1875. No woman had ever trained the winner of the opening leg of the Triple Crown until Saturday afternoon, when Golden Tempo powered down the stretch under the Twin Spires. The victory marks a watershed moment in a sport long dominated by men, from the backstretch barns to the winner's circle.

The Race

Golden Tempo entered the Derby as a decided underdog, with oddsmakers setting his chances at better than 20-1. But the three-year-old colt defied expectations, finding room along the rail in the final furlong and pulling clear in the closing strides. The win secured DeVaux's place in racing lore and set up a potential run at the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown, in two weeks.

The Derby, run over a mile and a quarter on dirt, attracts the best three-year-old horses in North America each spring. This year's field featured 20 starters, and Golden Tempo's upset ranks among the more surprising outcomes in recent memory. DeVaux, who has built her stable over two decades, had never before qualified a horse for the Derby.

Breaking the Barrier

Women have made gradual inroads in thoroughbred racing over the past generation. Female jockeys, owners, and exercise riders have claimed victories at the sport's highest levels, but the training ranks have remained stubbornly male. DeVaux's win at Churchill Downs represents a breakthrough in one of racing's most visible and prestigious events, watched by more than 150,000 spectators on-site and millions more on television.

The Kentucky Derby has crowned 151 previous winners since its founding. All were trained by men. DeVaux's achievement places her alongside pioneers in other male-dominated sports who have shattered glass ceilings on the national stage. Her victory is likely to inspire a new generation of women entering the training profession, where long hours, physical demands, and entrenched networks have historically limited opportunities.

DeVaux's Path

DeVaux has spent more than 20 years building her training operation, working her way up from assistant roles to managing her own stable. She has campaigned horses at tracks across the country, earning respect for her horsemanship and attention to detail. Golden Tempo, a son of a stakes-winning mare, joined her barn as a yearling and progressed through the ranks of allowance and stakes competition before earning a spot in the Derby field with a strong finish in a qualifying race earlier this spring.

The trainer's success with Golden Tempo underscores the importance of patience and preparation. She mapped out a careful campaign for the colt, avoiding overexposure and targeting races that would build his stamina and confidence. That strategy paid off on the first Saturday in May, when Golden Tempo delivered the performance of his life on racing's biggest stage.

What Comes Next

Golden Tempo's Derby victory sets up a potential Triple Crown bid. The Preakness Stakes, held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, follows in two weeks. If Golden Tempo can win there and then capture the Belmont Stakes in early June, he would become the first Triple Crown winner since 2018. DeVaux would cement her legacy as one of the sport's all-time great trainers, regardless of gender.

The colt's upset win also raises questions about the reliability of pre-race handicapping. Favorites and second choices have dominated the Derby in recent years, making Golden Tempo's longshot triumph all the more remarkable. Bettors who backed the DeVaux-trained runner reaped significant rewards, with win tickets paying out at better than 20-1.

What we know: Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby at 23-1 odds, making Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Derby winner in the race's 152-year history. What's unclear: Whether Golden Tempo will continue his campaign through the Preakness and Belmont, and how his upset victory will influence future Derby handicapping.