In a historic moment for horse racing, Cherie DeVaux became the first woman ever to train a Kentucky Derby winner when her longshot contender, Golden Tempo, stormed to victory in the 152nd Run for the Roses on May 2. It was a race that had fans on their feet and tears streaming down DeVaux's face as she watched trackside in a bold red blazer.
"I honestly don't know, I'm just glad I could be a representative of all women everywhere that we can do anything we set our minds to," DeVaux told NBC, her voice breathless with emotion.
Golden Tempo, who went off at 23-1 odds, delivered a thrilling come-from-behind performance. Jockey Jose Ortiz guided the horse through a furious charge down the backstretch, crossing the wire in 2:02.27 for his first Derby win. It was a race that will be remembered for years—not just for the history made, but for the sheer excitement of the stretch run.
DeVaux's journey to the winner's circle has deep roots in Southwest Florida. She attended Florida Gulf Coast University from 2000 to 2002 before transferring to the University at Albany. On her Facebook profile, she lists her hometown as Englewood, a coastal community on Florida's west coast where she still maintains strong ties.
Before DeVaux's breakthrough, only 19 starters in Derby history had been trained by women. The closest any woman had come to winning was Shelley Riley, who finished second with Casual Lies back in 1992. DeVaux's victory shatters that glass ceiling and opens the door for future generations of female trainers.
Born in Saratoga Springs, New York, DeVaux grew up in a horse racing family but initially pursued a career in medicine. She was studying at SUNY Albany when she decided to leave college and return to the track—a decision that would change her life. She worked as an assistant trainer for the late Chuck Simon and Chad Brown before going out on her own in 2018.
Speaking to NBC after the race, DeVaux revealed that she was at a "crossroads in life" during the summer of 2017. It was her husband, bloodstock agent David Ingordo, who encouraged her to keep pursuing her dream. That support paid off in a big way.
DeVaux earned her first graded stakes victory with Gam's Mission in the 2021 Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs and won her first Grade I race in 2023. Her career has continued to build momentum, with standout performances from 2024 Breeders' Cup Mile winner More Than Looks and multiple graded stakes winner She Feels. Now, with a Kentucky Derby victory under her belt, the sky is the limit for this history-making trainer.