Golden Tempo won the 152nd Kentucky Derby on May 2, 2026, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky [1, 4].
The victory marks a historic milestone for the sport as trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win the Run for the Roses [1, 2].
Golden Tempo entered the race as a long-shot with winning odds of 23-1 [2]. Despite the odds, the horse secured the top spot in the premier event, which serves as the first leg of the Triple Crown series [4, 5]. The race featured a total purse of $5 million [3].
The event took place at Churchill Downs, the traditional home of the race in the U.S. [1, 4]. The victory for DeVaux breaks a long-standing glass ceiling in the high-stakes world of Thoroughbred racing, a sport where the Derby remains the most prestigious single-day event.
As the first leg of the Triple Crown, this win positions Golden Tempo as the primary contender for the subsequent races in the series [4, 5]. The result was broadcast globally, highlighting the upset nature of the win and the historic achievement for the training staff.
“Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win the Run for the Roses.”
The victory of Golden Tempo represents a dual disruption in horse racing: a statistical upset by a long-shot contender and a systemic shift in the sport's history. By becoming the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner, Cherie DeVaux has fundamentally altered the professional trajectory for female trainers in the U.S. racing circuit.
