Louisville, Kentucky– Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, making Cherie Defoe the first woman to train the winner of the opening round of the Triple Crown.
Kentucky Derby participant Golden Tempo trains at Churchill Downs Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky.
(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The horse cruised down the stretch to make history for DeVaux in the 1 1/8-mile race. The Renegade was second and Ocelli’s long shot was third.
DeVaux is the second trainer to win any Triple Crown race after Jena Antonucci with Arcangelo in the 2023 Belmont Stakes. She won the Derby at her first opportunity, eight years after starting her own team.
Over the course of the week, DeVaux went from downplaying the importance of being the first woman to train a Derby winner to understanding that she is a role model for girls who might want to follow in her footsteps one day. She is the 18th woman to ride a horse in the Kentucky Derby.
Jockey Jose Ortiz showed the riding prowess that has made him so successful at Churchill Downs in recent days to win the Derby for the first time on his 11th attempt. He beat brother Irad who rode the Renegade to the feat.
The race continued with only 18 horses after Great White was a late scratch due to being flipped and thrown by his jockey.
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