LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Long shot Golden Tempo made a stretch run for the ages, coming from dead last to win the 152nd Run for the Roses. In the process, Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer ever to win the Kentucky Derby.
In a Derby without a strong favorite, most of the public’s attention was on Arkansas Derby winner Renegade, Florida Derby winner Commandment, Santa Anita Derby winner So Happy and Bill Mott trainee Chief Wallabee.
But it was Golden Tempo, trained by DeVaux and ridden by Jose Ortiz, who went off at 23-1 and found itself in last place entering the final turns only to sweep past a tight pack in the stretch run to win by a nose over favorite Renegade. Ocelli, a 70-1 longshot, showed. The winning time was 2:02.27.
The payouts were significant:
• Golden Tempo (23-1): $48.24
• Renegade (5-1): $7.14
• Ocelli (70-1): $36.34
• $2 exacta: $278.86
The stretch run from Golden Tempo was, in a few words, impossible to believe. As the pack entered the final turns, Golden Tempo wasn’t in view of the leaders. As the pack entered the stretch, the 3-year-old had moved up to 13th in the 18-horse race, but still seemingly out of contention. But Ortiz drove through traffic deftly, then found a lane on the outside straight to victory, edging out Renegade at the wire.
Here is an overhead view:
Golden Tempo comes from DEAD LAST to win the Kentucky Derby pic.twitter.com/Ibo9gd5Aip
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 2, 2026
“It’s a dream come true,” a tearful Ortiz said after his first Kentucky Derby victory.
“I knew my horse was a deep closer, so I don’t have any interest in being in front early. You can see the way I broke, when I go to the rail and save ground.
“So I did that, and I was hoping for a big run late. I was hoping for a fast pace, and I’m glad we had it.”
“There was a lot of speed on tap, on paper, and that materialized,” DeVaux said. “And I watch Jose come up and get himself in position going into the final turn.
“And about the 3/16 pole, I thought we’re probably going to win this. And then, I really kind of blacked out after that.”
After six straight favorites won the Kentucky Derby between 2013-2018, long shots have been more successful lately including 2019 winner Country House (65-1), 2022 winner Rich Strike (80-1), 2023 winner Mage (15-1) and 2024 winner Mystik Dan (18-1).
Renegade, ridden by Ortiz’s brother Irad Ortiz Jr., finished second. Long shot Ocelli (70-1) finished third.
Prior to Saturday’s running, only 17 female trainers had ever had a horse reach the Derby, and until Saturday, none had ever won. DeVaux, 44, became the first, bettering Shelley Riley’s runner-up finish with Casual Lies in 1992.
DeVaux was born in the racing hotbed of Saratoga Springs, New York, and after learning at the hands of trainers Chuck Simon and Chad Brown, started her own stable in 2018. She’s since recorded 1,801 starts — none bigger than Saturday’s.
“I don’t even have any words right now. I just can’t,” DeVaux said. “Jose did a masterful job at getting him there. He was so far out of it.”
When asked about the story of this Kentucky Derby being about her becoming the first woman ever to win the Run for the Roses, DeVaux responded, “I’m just glad I don’t have to answer that question anymore.”
