On May 2, 2026, several miracles happened. The underdog (underhorse?) of the Kentucky Derby pulled ahead of the pack in the last moments of the race. A trainer was highlighted more than the owner of the winning horse. The trainer was the first woman trainer ever to bring a horse to a victory in the Kentucky Derby’s 152-year history. That trainer is Cherie DeVaux, and the horse in question is Golden Tempo.
Now, you might be wondering why you’re reading about horse racing in a dance magazine, but we’re more concerned with why horse racing magazines aren’t covering this as a dance event. Beyond his musical name, the 3-year-old American thoroughbred horse bred by Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable showed us what happens when training, effort, and carefully choreographed teamwork come together.
Golden Tempo and Cherie DeVaux (and jockey Jose Ortiz!) were never meant to win the Kentucky Derby, but Cheri changed that. Golden Tempo’s odds of winning were 23-1. Horse and jockey found themselves in last place only half a mile from the finish line. We might look at Cherie as a behind-the-scenes player in the race, but her direction let the talents of everyone on Golden Tempo’s team, including Joe and every member of the bay’s team (even Golden Tempo’s farrier, Chad Boston) shine.
We are reminded of the studio owners and dance teachers who stand by, counting beats and watching technique while their dancers perform a routine months in the making, their parents cheering from the audience. Like any good choreographer, Cherie’s win—and we must acknowledge her win as the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby—was not based on having the obvious number one. Her competitive success relied on knowing Golden Tempo’s skills and training them to the best of her ability.
Every step on the race track is a tenth of a second toward a win or a loss, or worse yet, an injury. (Sounds a lot like a dance competition if you ask us.) Kentucky Derby fans saw this when another horse, Great White, fell before the race ever began. Strengthening and conditioning for those moments of competition is the work that goes into every moment on stage. The role that knowing a dancer’s body, mind, and potential plays in performing well and winning.
Cherie knows her “dancer.” Despite incredible breeding, Golden Tempo isn’t a star student, and CNN reports that Cherie calls him “a work in progress,” but Jose labeled his mount “lazy.” She built custom race plans to build up Golden Tempo’s track confidence and success rate. It was less than a month before the race that our champion started to seem like Kentucky Derby material. As we know, first competition results don’t always tell us how a national finals will go, but they do tell us where to place our attention.
After the race, the world watched as Cherie clutched the Kentucky Derby’s gold cup. “I’m glad I can be a representative of all women everywhere,” she said, “that we can do anything we set our minds to.” That moment has earned her interviews, appearances, and, of course, a lot more work. (Your best win is rarely your last competition.) We’re excited to see what she turns that pressure into, and how her inspiration leads others to success in competitions of all kinds, but mostly, we’re thankful for the reminder that passion and attention to detail are even more important keys to success than talent or gender.