Golden Tempo made Divocks the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby

Louisville, Ky. — Cheri Devaux made history Saturday as the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner, as Golden Tempo rallied from the back of the pack and stretched to reach the finish line first in horse racing’s biggest event.

DeVaux is only the second female trainer to win any Triple Crown race after Jenna Antonucci won the 2023 Belmont Stakes with Arcangelo. He won the Derby at his first opportunity, eight years after starting his own stable.

Ridden by Jose Ortiz and watched and roared by a crowd of more than 100,000 at Churchill Downs, Golden Tempo won the 1¼-mile race in 2:02.27 at odds of 23-1 to pass favorite Renegade just before the wire. Renegade was second, with brother Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard and Longshot Ocelli third.

“I have no words right now,” Devaux said. “I can’t. That’s right, so, so happy for Golden Tempo. Jose did a great job, a masterful job getting him there. He was far from it.”

During the week, DeVaux doesn’t minimize what it means to be the first woman to train a Derby winner, she’s a role model to girls who might someday want to follow in her footsteps. She is only the 18th woman to saddle a horse in the Kentucky Derby.

“I’m glad I can be a representative of all women everywhere that we can do whatever we set our minds to,” Devaux said.

Ortiz has shown the riding skills that have made him so successful at Churchill Downs in recent days, winning the Derby for the first time in his 11th attempt. It comes a little less than 24 hours since she won the Kentucky Oaks, the top race for 3-year-old fillies.

Her parents were there to witness Ortiz’s remarkable journey.

“I run it almost every year, but to win it, it’s just special,” Ortiz said. “I just wish my grandpa was here, but I know he’s watching from heaven. Just so happy that I got my goal, my life’s dream goal.”

The Kentucky Derby ran with only 18 horses. The Great White flipped after a late scratch and threw his jockey. Track vets called to scratch the long shot who took to the field on Wednesday when the silent tactic was called off due to a leg injury. Puma was out, 12 hours before post time, with a leg swollen from a skin infection.

Great White is the fifth horse this week and second Saturday scratched. Silent Tactics included Fulefort on Wednesday, Fulefort on Thursday and Right to Party, Great White, Ocelli and Robusta on Friday.