Cherie DeVaux Makes History as First Female Trainer to Win the Kentucky Derby
Anushe Engineer
In a stunning upset at Churchill Downs, trainer Cherie DeVaux led longshot Golden Tempo to a neck victory in the 152nd Kentucky Derby, becoming the first woman to win the race in its history. The 44-year-old, who earned her training license in 2018, wept with joy as she celebrated the milestone win.
At Churchill Downs in Kentucky, Cherie DeVaux-trained Golden Tempo scored a major shock by winning the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Sent off at 24-1 odds, Golden Tempo broke slowly and trailed the entire 18-horse field, then mounted a powerful rally from the outside to win by a neck.
The win not only gave jockey Jose Ortiz his first career Derby victory, but also made Cherie DeVaux the first female trainer in the event's 150-plus-year history to win. DeVaux wept with joy and celebrated with her family.
Renegade, the 5-1 co-favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., finished second, while 70-1 longshot Ocelli took third before a crowd of 150,415.
Who is Cherie DeVaux?
DeVaux, 44, hails from Saratoga Springs, New York, and is a thoroughbred trainer based in Kentucky. Raised around horses and with family roots in the sport, she took the leap to go independent and earned her training license in 2018. After just 29 starts, she recorded her first win in 2019. As of before the Derby, DeVaux had tallied more than 300 career victories, including 21 wins in 2026 (pre-Derby).
Significance of the victory
The Kentucky Derby is the opening leg of the Triple Crown. Next up is the Preakness Stakes on May 16, followed by the Belmont Stakes on June 6. DeVaux becomes only the second woman to train a Triple Crown race winner, after Jena Antonucci. She was just the 18th female trainer ever to enter a horse in the Derby.
“It's an honor to be a role model for other women and girls to look up to. You can dream big and you can change. You can come from somewhere and make history,” DeVaux said. She hopes the win will resonate far beyond the track.
“I'm happy to represent women everywhere. We can do anything we set our minds to,” she added, crediting her husband for pushing her to pursue her training dream in a tough patch back in 2017.
