In this world in which nearly everything changes and fades away, it is uplifting to rally around traditions that stand the test of time. Sometimes the thrill manages to exceed anything we could possibly dream up.
This past weekend, we continued the annual May joy of cheering for the Kentucky Derby. In my family, this started when I was still a kid, when Dad would even adjust the evening milking time for it. This was so rare that it jolted me to attention.
My parents visited Churchill Downs in the off-season to take in the iconic 1-mile oval dirt track, taking a loop around it.
For a man who was not an equine enthusiast, it surprised me, but Dad cheered for the people who sought to bring out the best in their horse.
Watching this year’s incredible run for the roses was as over the top as any I have ever seen. Golden Tempo, a bay horse no one expected to show up in even the top 10, was only given a mention in the hours-long lead-up stories, and that centered around the woman trainer, Cherie DeVaux.
As the race opened, Golden Tempo settled into last place. This was no surprise and was barely noted as the commentator named the horse placements in the early part of the derby.
A camera panned to Golden Tempo’s trainer as the horse slowly moved from last to middle of the pack. Wishing her a respectable showing, one camera stayed on her. Cherie DeVaux knows her horse, and at a specific point, she clearly saw a spark. She began calling out, “Go Jose!” and as she yelled, that spark seemed to ignite, and her expression began to change. Drastically.
Just into the final turn, Golden Tempo rallied. He moved steadily from last place to middle of the pack, then covered even more ground. It was unbelievable to everyone as the last-place horse, with odds of 23-1, passed each horse ahead of him, taking an unbelievable surge from dead last to first place.
Golden Tempo was the winner, though it seemed we could not believe our eyes. He nosed slightly ahead of the horse favored to win in the very last surge.
Jockey Jose Ortiz masterfully handled the horse trained by DeVaux, earning her the distinction of the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby. As the commentator found her way to the winning horse, Ortiz was clearly overcome with emotion in this win, tears streaming down his face. He had edged Golden Tempo past his older brother, Riad Ortiz, on the heavily favored Renegade for the win.
Ortiz said he was so emotional in part because his parents were finally in attendance from Puerto Rico to watch their two sons jockey to first and second place in the world’s finest horse race. Jose had also shockingly been the come-from-behind winning jockey in the Kentucky Oaks just the night before.
Will we see this horse run for the Triple Crown? The owner said she will have to discuss this with her friend and trainer, DeVaux.
Golden Tempo won by a neck, paying $48.24 on a $2 bet, turning $200 into nearly $10,000. What a glorious, memorable, historic Kentucky Derby this one proved to be!
