Golden Tempo Wins Kentucky Derby as Cherie DeVaux Becomes First Woman to Train a Winner

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Golden Tempo surged from far behind to win the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, and his trainer, Cherie DeVaux, became the first woman ever to saddle the winner of America’s most famous horse race.

Golden Tempo went off at odds of 23-1 and overtook the field in a dramatic late rally under jockey José Ortiz. Co-favorite Renegade, at 5-1, finished second, and 70-1 long shot Ocelli was third.

A Historic First

DeVaux said after the race that she had no words and was overjoyed for the horse. She praised Ortiz for a masterful ride, noting that Golden Tempo had been far off the pace and that the jockey had kept his faith in the colt.

In a postrace interview on the broadcast, DeVaux said she was glad to be a representative of women everywhere.

Before Saturday, the closest a female trainer had come to winning the Derby was in 1992, when Casual Lies, trained by Shelley Riley, finished second, according to NBC News.

Emotional Win for Ortiz

Ortiz, with tears streaming down his face, called the victory a dream come true. He said he was grateful to ride in the race almost every year but that winning it was special, especially with his parents in attendance.

An Unheralded Contender

Golden Tempo, a son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, had run respectably in prep races including the Louisiana Derby and the Risen Star Stakes but was not considered a serious contender heading into the Derby.

The colt’s victory added to the Derby’s long tradition of surprise winners. The race, run over 1 1/4 miles at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, often produces upsets because many horses are attempting the distance for the first time in a large and crowded field.

Triple Crown Questions

DeVaux declined to commit Golden Tempo to the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, scheduled for May 16 in Baltimore. Trainers often weigh the short two-week turnaround between the Derby and the Preakness when deciding whether to run.

Breaking Barriers

Women have made steady gains in thoroughbred racing as trainers, jockeys and owners, but the sport’s biggest prizes have remained elusive. DeVaux’s win at the sport’s marquee event is likely to be viewed as a milestone for women in an industry long dominated by men.

The Derby is the oldest continuously held major sporting event in the United States, first run in 1875, and draws one of the largest crowds of any race in the world.