LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Cherie DeVaux made history with Golden Tempo at the Kentucky Derby when she became the first female trainer to win the Run for the Roses.
Monday, she was back in the Derby City, joining Mayor Craig Greenberg as he named her an honorary citizen of Louisville.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux kisses the trophy after a victory by Golden Tempo in the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)(Abbie Parr | AP)
DeVaux said the past nine days have been a whirlwind with interviews on the Today Show, getting recognized at the grocery store and even throwing out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium.
Now, she says, her focus is on the Belmont Stakes and she maintained that it’s the right decision to keep her Derby winning horse out of the Preakness.
“I’ve always said, I think the Triple Crown should stay the way it is because a horse has to be a certain type of horse to be able to handle that type of campaign,” she said. “And just, with Golden Temp, it’s just not. He’s not that type of horse that can come back and run in two weeks.”
As for her now-famous custom Derby 152 shoes, she said they’ll soon be an exhibit piece at the Kentucky Derby Museum.
But DeVaux wasn’t the only horse racing icon who was honored by Greenberg Monday.
Former jockey turned broadcaster Donna Brothers was also recognized by the mayor in honor of her career covering the Kentucky Derby, with DeVaux’s historic win being Brothers’ final assignment before retirement.
Brothers was emotional talking to cameras and said she appreciates the support she’s received from the community she’s called home since the mid-90s.
“When I bought my first home here in 1996, I claimed Louisville as my city,” she said. “Thank you for claiming me back. I appreciate it. Thank you.”
Donna Brothers moments before the last Kentucky Derby she covered before her retirement.(WAVE)
Brothers said that this was the first year she asked to walk with someone specific before the Derby race and that specific person was DeVaux.
In retirement, Brothers said she plans to spend more time with her family away from the track.
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