Golden Tempo emerged victorious at the 2026 Kentucky Derby Saturday at Churchill Downs, making history as the first time a horse with a woman trainer has ever won the race. And better yet, there’s some Florida lore behind the win.
Golden Tempo and jockey Jose Ortiz won the 152nd Run for the Roses May 2 against 23-1 odds and with a time of 2:02.27.
Golden Tempo’s trainer Cherie DeVaux, though born in Saratoga Springs, New York, has ties to Southwest Florida. And its partial owner also owns the Florida Panthers.
Only 19 starters in Derby history have been trained by women. Before DeVaux, the closest a woman had come to the winner’s circle was Shelley Riley, who finished second with Casual Lies in 1992.
Who won Kentucky Derby 2026?
Golden Tempo won the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
Who owns Golden Tempo?
Golden Tempo is owned by both St. Elias Stable and Phipps Stable.
St. Elias Stable is owned by Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola, one of the world’s richest people with a reported net worth of around $7 billion, according to Forbes.
Phipps Stable is a family-owned legacy stable, with a previous Kentucky Derby win under its belt. In 2013, the late Ogden Mills Phipps led the stable to victory with Orb.
Who is Cherie DeVaux? First female trainer to win Kentucky Derby
Golden Tempo’s trainer, Cherie DeVaux, 44, made history Saturday as the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner. Before her, only 19 starters have been trained by women.
DeVaux attended Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida, from 2000 to 2002, then went on to the University of Albany in New York, according to her LinkedIn profile.
On Facebook, she lists her hometown as Englewood, Florida, where she graduated from Lemon Bay High School.
What were the odds on Golden Tempo?
Golden Tempo won as a longshot with odds of 23-1. It was the first Kentucky Derby win for jockey Jose Ortiz, who guided Golden Tempo through a furious charge down the backstretch to cross the wire in 2:02.27.
Kentucky Derby 2026 finishing order
Here is the 2026 finishing order for the 152nd Run for the Roses:
Contributing: Kaycee Sloan and Alex Harrison, Cincinnati Enquirer
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: First female trainer to win Kentucky Derby has Southwest Florida roots
Reporting by Ashley Ferrer, Danielle Lerner and Ryan Black, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
