The first weekend of May, for many, usually means the Kentucky Derby. And Churchill Downs was packed on May 2nd, as celebrities and fans with fancy hats watched on. The schedule was jam-packed, the favourites locked in with Renegade, Commandment, and Further Ado touted to thrive. But then Golden Tempo stepped up and rewrote the script instead. Now with questions about the Triple Crown floating about, trainer Cherie DeVaux wasted no time in making her position clear.
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The Kentucky horse trainer asserted that the thought hasn’t crossed their minds yet as they’re waiting to see how Golden Tempo does.
“Not yet,” DeVaux said in an interview on X. “We’re gonna let the horse tell us. He’s, he got us here, and we’re gonna do what’s best. We’re gonna always put him first and do what’s best for him.”
After all, several other horses stand in the way between DeVaux and horse-racing history. She could become the first woman horse trainer to ever win the Triple Crown and the first to win the next race, the Preakness Stakes. DeVaux, however, isn’t the first woman to ever win a Triple Crown race, as that honor goes to Jena Antonucci.
She won the 2023 Belmont Stakes, the third race in the series, with Arcangelo. And prior to Cherie DeVaux winning the 2026 Kentucky Derby, the closest a woman had come was Shelley Riley. She trained Casual Lies but had to watch as Lil E. Tee surged to victory. Thus, it comes as no real shock that questions are already being asked about potential Triple Crown races.
It’s the day after and Kentucky Derby winning trainer, CHERIE DEVAUX @reredevaux shares with Carlos Morales how is GOLDEN TEMPO doing this morning, the meaning for her of this historic victory and the key role of her team for all the success. Es el día después, y la entrenadora Show more
After all, it would mark a path-breaking series if DeVaux manages to pull it off. She could become only the 14th trainer to win all three. The last person to do so was Bob Baffert with Justify in 2018, but winning the Kentucky Derby alone is a historic moment. Something that Cherie DeVaux isn’t taking for granted at all.
“It’s, it’s an honor,” DeVaux added. “You know, I, I think females in this industry are underrepresented, and I’m not quite sure why. I’ve had a positive experience, so it is an honor. It’s an honor for me as a woman. It’s an honor for me as a trainer.”
But for DeVaux, the historic win was never a solo effort. And she’s been quick to make sure nobody forgets that
Cherie DeVaux praises her team for their role in her 2026 Kentucky Derby win
There’s no denying Cherie DeVaux’s place in the history books now but it’s been a long-time coming. The 44-year-old started her career just over 20 years ago and founded her own stable a little over 8 years ago. Since then, she has thrived but she hasn’t done it alone. Her husband, David Ingordo, is a bloodstock agent and the two often join hands across ventures.
Not only that, her team also includes her step-daugher Reagan Ingordo, who is a part of the business side of DeVaux’s operations. And it extends well beyond her immediate family, as the Ingordos and DeVauxes run multiple operations across America. Thus, it means for the 44-year-old her team is as important as family and she made sure fans knew that.
“Our team is everything,” DeVaux explained. “I, you know, I, I’m one person, a- and I need them to help. We all need to work together to help. Being a trainer is not about just watching horses go around on the racetrack. There’s so many more aspects to it. Um, and as we’ve grown, we have different stables, different divisions, and, um, they are, they’re the backbone.
“You know, I wanna mention my assistants, David Carroll, Enrique Miranda, Daniel Caceres, who’s been with me since I first worked for Chad, and Pearl Hagedorn and Jonathan Adams. Um, I wanna make sure I didn’t forget anyone, so sorry if I did.”
For now, Cherie DeVaux isn’t getting swept up in Triple Crown talk, choosing instead to trust Golden Tempo and lean on her team instead. Only time will tell if history follows her or not, but her response may have set the tone for her future.
