The last time Cherie DeVaux was at Churchill Downs, Louisville, on May 2, she was a hopeful trainer who learned the basics of the sport in Louisville, trying to win the iconic Kentucky Derby. But having created history as the first woman to win the Kentucky Derby, she found a permanent place in the city by receiving an iconic honor from the Mayor of Louisville.

Her iconic achievement saw her named an honorary citizen of Louisville by Mayor Craig Greenberg on May 12. She was sharing the stage with iconic racer turned broadcaster, Donna Brothers. The most recent Derby 152 also marked Brothers’ last time covering the longest continuously-held sporting event in America after 26 years.

“It’s a great day to honor two legends, two pioneers in the world of horse racing who just excelled on the world stage this past weekend and have done so much leading up to this weekend,” Greenberg said. He also joyfully claimed that De Vaux is one of them despite being born in New York and raised in Florida.

Soon after receiving the honor, Cherie DeVaux opened up about the emotional days following her historic victory. “The last few weeks have been a whirlwind filled with meeting lots of people, enjoying the win, and it has been an honor to come back to Louisville, where it all started nine days ago, and become an honorary member of the city of Louisville.”

For Cherie DeVaux, the moment meant much more than another celebration. Because Louisville is where her horse racing began. Having arrived as an apprentice, she became the master and then the history maker, making it truly a full circle moment in Louisville.

She arrived at Churchill Downs as a 22-year-old trying to find her place in the sport. So, she started working as an exercise rider on the backside with Chuck Simon, who worked for her father. She slowly worked her way higher in racing.

Cherie DeVaux later became an assistant trainer for Simon and eventually worked under renowned trainer Chad Brown for 6 years. Those years helped open the door to bigger opportunities.

Interestingly, it was Brothers who predicted De Vaux’s Golden Tempo as the winner and took a pre-race walk with her. Brothers was overwhelmed with the love she received from the city over the years. “When I bought my first home here in 1996, I claimed Louisville as my city. Thank you for claiming me back. I appreciate it. Thank you.”

While the celebrations continued in Louisville, many racing fans were still focused on one big question: Would Golden Tempo continue the Triple Crown chase? But in the end, Cherie DeVaux decided to skip the race for one important reason.

Why Golden Tempo will not race in the Preakness Stakes

After Golden Tempo’s Kentucky Derby victory, many fans hoped the colt would continue the Triple Crown journey at the Preakness. After all, a second major win would have placed Cherie DeVaux even deeper into horse racing history. But the trainer chose not to rush her horse back onto the track.

“We are incredibly appreciative of the excitement and support surrounding the possibility of a Triple Crown run,” DeVaux said in a statement. “Golden gave us the race of a lifetime in the Kentucky Derby, and we believe the best decision for him moving forward is to give him a little more time following such a tremendous effort. His health, happiness, and long-term future will always remain our top priority.”

With this withdrawal, Golden Tempo also became the third Kentucky Derby winner in the last five years to skip the Preakness Stakes. These days, the short two-week gap between the two races is seen as too demanding by many trainers and owners. But the story doesn’t end there for Cherie DeVaux.

The trainer, who started her own stable back in 2018 with eight horses, has been slowly building one of racing’s new operations. She won her first race at her 29th start, and steadily worked her way up the sport with big wins. In the last few years, Cherie DeVaux has been training horses for several Breeders’ Cup meetings and won the Breeders’ Cup Mile with More Than Looks in 2024. 

This way, rather than racing history too fast, DeVaux seems to be targeting another big prize up next: the Belmont Stakes.