Cherie DeVaux Makes History as First Woman Trainer to Win the Kentucky Derby
Cherie DeVaux shattered a racing barrier, becoming the first woman trainer to win the Kentucky Derby as Golden Tempo surged to victory at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
History at Churchill Downs: Cherie DeVaux just became the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner, and the whole thing had a family twist, a brother-vs-brother showdown on the track, and even a little name confusion for the horse. Let’s sort it out.
DeVaux breaks the Derby barrier
Golden Tempo crossed the line first on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs, locking in a milestone that racing has somehow never seen before. DeVaux, 44, looked equal parts stunned and thrilled in the aftermath. She was quick to redirect the spotlight to her horse and her rider, praising Jose Ortiz for a genuinely expert ride and for backing the colt all the way.
'I’m glad I can be a representative of all women everywhere that we can do anything we set our minds to.'
It turned into a family moment, too: DeVaux’s 15-year-old daughter, Reagan, joined her on camera and told her how proud she was. Reagan is DeVaux’s daughter with her husband, bloodstock agent David Ingordo.
How the race played out (and yes, it’s Golden Tempo)
Jose Ortiz guided Golden Tempo past the favorites Renegade, So Happy, and Further Ado to win the Derby in Louisville. It’s the first Derby victory of Jose’s career, and he did it while dueling with his brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard Renegade. That sibling subplot is as intense as it sounds, and Jose was visibly emotional afterward: he talked about wishing his grandfather could have seen it, checking off a lifelong goal, and hurrying to celebrate with his family.
About that name confusion you might see floating around: the winner is Golden Tempo. Some mentions mistakenly called the horse Golden Temple. Tempo, not Temple.
Ortiz’s road here, and the message he wanted to send
Jose started riding in Puerto Rico before moving to the U.S. in the mid‑2010s. He and his wife, former jockey Taylor Ortiz, have three kids: daughter Leilani and sons Derek and Nikolai. After the race, he offered a little advice to anyone in Puerto Rico eyeing a racing career: keep a good attitude, learn English, learn something every day, be responsible and respectful, and understand that it takes time. He noted he’s been stateside for 11 years. He also dropped a line about sitting in the same chair '50 years ago' — clearly a heartfelt, not literal, way of saying he knows what it’s like to be at the start of the journey. The gist was simple: dream big, and then outwork it.
How DeVaux got here
DeVaux spent eight years assisting trainers Chuck Simon and Chad Brown before stepping out on her own as a head trainer in 2019. On Friday, May 1, the day before the race, she told local station Lexington 18 that she tries not to frame the sport as men vs. women — she just wants to do the job as well as it can be done — but she’s always aimed to be a strong example for young women coming up behind her. She also said her career goal was to be the first female trainer to win the Derby. This was her barn’s first Derby starter. One day later, she got the whole thing done.
Who was in the crowd
It was a starry Derby, as usual. Bill Belichick turned up with girlfriend Jordon Hudson (yes, that Bill Belichick — and no, he does not coach UNC). Dannielynn Birkhead, the 19-year-old daughter of the late Anna Nicole Smith, made her annual appearance with her dad, Larry Birkhead.