What Cherie DeVaux’s Kentucky Derby Win Teaches Women About Leadership, Risk, and Going For It
Golden Tempo wasn’t supposed to win.
At 70–1 odds, sitting at the back of the pack with half a mile to go, the story was already written, just not the one that unfolded.
Then everything changed.
Golden Tempo surged from last to first.
And with that finish, Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby.
Let that sink in.
Against the Odds Isn’t a Metaphor It’s Reality
Cherie didn’t just win a race.
She broke through a decades old system!
And what struck me most wasn’t just the win, it was what she said:
“You can dream big, and you can pivot. You can come from one place and make yourself a part of history.”
She started 22 years ago as an exercise rider.
At one point, she was at a crossroads, unsure, questioning, like so many of us have been.
Someone believed in her before she fully believed in herself.
And she chose to go for it.
This One Felt Personal
A lot of women will read this story and feel something deeper.
I know I did.
Over 20 years ago, I started my career in IT, another space where women are often underrepresented.
And while no one says it out loud, you feel it:
The pressure to prove more
The need to move faster
The constant question of “Did I do enough?”
But here’s the truth:
👉 Yes, We show up!
Women Win!
Time and time again, women have shown up, not just to participate, but to lead, to build, to win.
We are:
Leaders in our careers
Leaders in our homes
Navigators of complexity
Masters of resilience
And yet, we still hesitate.
“Am I ready?”
“Is this the right time?”
What If You Don’t Go?
Cherie DeVaux said she never imagined she’d be sitting there as a Derby winner.
Most women don’t imagine themselves there until they are.
The real risk isn’t trying and failing.
👉 The real risk is never stepping into the race at all.
At the Back of the Pack Is Still in the Race
Golden Tempo was last.
Not behind.
Not out.
Just… not leading yet.
There’s a difference.
Representation Matters And So Does Action
Cherie said:
“I’m glad I could be a representative of women everywhere.”
Representation matters.
Seeing someone do it matters.
But what matters more is what we do with it.
👉 Do we watch?
👉 Or do we move?
I am at a Crossroads, and I’m moving!
I’m in a season where I’m being pushed and encouraged to take the next step.
To trust what I’ve built.
To go further.
And like Cherie said, sometimes others see something in us before we fully see it ourselves.
That makes it worth exploring.
Go For It! Even If You’re Not Sure
Here is what I have learned:
There is no perfect timing
You own your destination
You don’t need permission
You need:
👉 Courage to take the Risk
👉 Conviction
👉 And the willingness to try
Final Thought
Golden Tempo didn’t win because the odds were in his favor.
He won because he was in and kept going.
And Cherie DeVaux didn’t make history because it was expected.
She made history because she stepped into the race!
To every person reading this:
You are not behind.
You are not out.
You are in the race.
And you never know—
👉 Your surge might be coming next.