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The GIST: <\/strong>A horse named Golden Tempo defied the 23-1 odds<\/a> during the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, surging from last-place to win the Run for the Roses. With the victory, Cherie DeVaux became the first woman horse trainer to ever win the famed race \u2014 and her story is a true tale of groundbreaking grit<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2753 What does a horse trainer do?: <\/strong>Much like an athletic trainer, a racehorse trainer is responsible for the animal\u2019s conditioning, including exercise, diet, and race prep, as well as coaching the jockey on how to best lead the horse. Horse racing is a historically male-dominated<\/a> (and notably ethically dubious<\/a>) sport.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfc7 From med school to the stables: <\/strong>DeVaux, who grew up around horses in Saratoga Springs, NY, was questioning her path<\/a> as a pre-med student when she started working in a stable, initially just walking the animals. She worked her way up, eventually pursued her training license, and won her first race in 2019, notching nearly 300 wins (and earning more than $32M<\/a>) since.<\/p>\n \u23e9 What\u2019s next:<\/strong> The Kentucky Derby is the first of three races in the vaunted Triple Crown<\/a>. The Preakness is next on May 16th, but DeVaux isn\u2019t sure if Golden Tempo will compete, saying the decision is \u201cup to the horse<\/a>\u201d and dependent on his health. Stay tuned.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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