Kentucky Derby winner Cherie DeVaux bet on herself and won big

Horse racingKentucky Derby winner Cherie DeVaux bet on herself and won bigDeVaux became the first woman to train the winning horse at the Kentucky Derby when Golden Tempo claimed the 152nd Run for the Roses on Saturday. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Trainer Cherie DeVaux celebrating following the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. on Saturday.Michael Reaves / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 2, 2026, 8:34 PM EDTBy Rohan NadkarniFor more than a decade, Cherie DeVaux helped train other people’s horses as she dreamed of one day taking the reins herself.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.That dream came true, and then some. DeVaux became the first woman to train the winning horse at the Kentucky Derby when Golden Tempo claimed the 152nd Run for the Roses on Saturday at Churchill Downs. Jockey Jose Ortiz rode Golden Tempo to a first-place finish at Churchill Downs on Saturday.Rob Carr / Getty ImagesBefore starting her stable, DeVaux climbed her way up the ranks, beginning as a stable worker for the late Chuck Simon before becoming an assistant trainer for Chad Brown. In 2018, she finally acquired her trainer’s license and went out on her own. “It was a conversation with my now husband,” DeVaux, 44, said to WLEX-TV about her decision to go solo. “I was burned out from being an assistant trainer. I wanted to do something more for myself, have a little bit more of a personal life.”DeVaux’s initial plan was to see how training by herself went for three years, but she would win her first race only 11 months later. Though the start of the pandemic soon after halted her momentum, DeVaux kept at it, eventually taking the Breeder’s Cup in 2024. On Saturday, DeVaux’s first time at the Kentucky Derby was the charm, as Golden Tempo made a late surge to defeat one of the favorites in Renegade. Golden Tempo, like its trainer, had to make its own arduo...