News ArticlePublishedMay 02, 2026 at 08:13 PM EDTBy Adeola AdeosunWeekend Night EditorGolden Tempo, a 23-1 long shot ridden by Jose Ortiz, charged from the back of the pack to win the 2026 Kentucky Derby on Saturday — and made his trainer Cherie DeVaux the first woman ever to saddle the winner of the opening leg of the Triple Crown. The 1 1/8-mile race at Churchill Downs ended with Renegade in second place, ridden by Jose Ortiz's brother Irad Ortiz Jr., and long shot Ocelli in third. The win marked one of the most surprising finishes in recent Derby history and a historic moment for women in horse racing.Why It MattersDeVaux's victory is the second time a woman has trained a Triple Crown race winner — Jena Antonucci was the first, with Arcangelo at the 2023 Belmont Stakes. But the Kentucky Derby is the most-watched race of the Triple Crown and one of the most prominent sporting events in the United States, making DeVaux's win a landmark moment in a sport that has historically been dominated by male trainers. She is just the 18th woman to saddle a horse in the Kentucky Derby, and she won it on her first attempt,
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