Five weeks after making history in the Kentucky Derby, Cherie DeVaux is heading back to a place that helped shape her journey in horse racing.
On Saturday, DeVaux will saddle Golden Tempo in the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, a venue that holds far deeper meaning for her than simply hosting the final leg of the Triple Crown. Long before she became one of the sport’s rising stars, Saratoga was home.
“It’s a beautiful track,” DeVaux said. “It’s all about horse racing. The whole town, that is their highlight and focus. It’s really exciting to be a part of that.”
From Saratoga Beginnings to Racing’s Biggest Stage
While DeVaux is now based in Lexington, Kentucky, and has established herself among the nation’s top trainers, her connection to Saratoga dates back decades.
Born in the upstate New York city, she eventually returned to the area while attending the University at Albany. It was during that time that horse racing pulled her in a different direction. Rather than continue pursuing a traditional college path, she chose to immerse herself in the backstretch life that so many successful horsemen and horsewomen know well.
She began working for longtime trainer Chuck Simon as a hot walker, handling horses in the mornings and learning the sport from the ground level. Like many young people entering racing, she dreamed of advancing through the ranks and eventually becoming an exercise rider.
Years later, DeVaux would continue her development under trainer Chad Brown, one of the most accomplished horsemen in the country. The lessons learned while working with elite horses and top-level connections helped prepare her for the day she would launch her own stable.
A Family Rooted in Racing
Cherie’s brother Jim has built a successful career as a harness racing driver, recording more than 7,000 victories and earning multiple driving titles at Saratoga Harness. Her sister Adrianne, who once worked alongside Cherie, now trains Thoroughbreds herself in Saratoga. Another brother, Kenny, trains Standardbreds elsewhere in New York, continuing a family tradition that stretches back generations.
Their connection to horses can be traced to Cherie’s father, Butch DeVaux, whose involvement in Standardbred racing helped shape the family’s future. Growing up, the DeVaux children were surrounded by horses, racetracks, and the daily routines that come with life in racing. While some eventually pursued careers outside the industry, the sport remained a constant presence throughout their lives.
That history made Golden Tempo’s Kentucky Derby victory especially meaningful. Family members traveled from New York to Kentucky to witness the race, and the celebration afterward became one of the most memorable images from Derby week.
“Everyone knows the deal,” Adrianne said of her family’s racing background. “It is not taken lightly by anyone in our family how much of an accomplishment it is not only to be in the Derby, but to win the Derby.”
History Isn’t Her Focus
DeVaux’s profile skyrocketed after Golden Tempo stunned the racing world with a late-running victory in the Kentucky Derby.
The win made DeVaux the first woman to train a Derby winner, a milestone that generated headlines across the sports world and sparked an emotional celebration with family and friends. Images and videos from the aftermath quickly circulated on social media as racing fans celebrated the achievement.
Rather than viewing herself through the lens of barriers broken or records set, she prefers to focus on the job itself.
“I just see myself as a horse trainer,” DeVaux said. “I thought winning the Kentucky Derby was an achievable goal at some point in my career. It’s an honor to be the one that is the first female. But that’s not really what my focus is on.”
That mindset mirrors the attitude of many pioneering women in racing. Hall of Fame trainer Janet Elliot has expressed a similar belief throughout her own career, emphasizing that success should ultimately be measured by performance rather than gender.
Saratoga Embraces One of Its Own
Saratoga Springs has always had a unique relationship with horse racing. During the summer meet, the sport becomes the center of the community, drawing fans, horsemen, and tourists from across the country. Local connections are often celebrated, and DeVaux’s story has provided the area with someone easy to rally around.
Community leaders have noted the excitement surrounding her return. After all, it isn’t every year that a hometown figure arrives at Saratoga fresh off a Kentucky Derby victory.
“Cherie, this year, is the rock star coming back to Saratoga, where she’s got family and friends and a community that has totally embraced the historic success she’s had, especially this year,” Todd Shimkus, Saratoga Chamber of Commerce President, said.
The support extends beyond racing circles. Friends, relatives, and longtime Saratoga residents have followed her rise from backstretch newcomer to major-race-winning trainer. For many, her success represents a source of local pride.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to get to spend with my family in the build-up and the week of,” DeVaux said. “Getting to spend time with my family, the young ones that don’t get to come to the races, my nieces and nephews, so I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to share what I do with them.”
Belmont Stakes Offers Cherie DeVaux a Full-Circle Moment