Jose Ortiz

The TDN Writers' Room was ecstatic to be joined by Cherie DeVaux, who made history as the first woman to win the Kentucky Derby. The trainer discussed her thoughts on Golden Tempo's performance, what the ride has been like post-Derby and what the win meant to her.

An average of 19.6 million viewers on NBC and Peacock made NBC Sports broadcast the most-watched GI Kentucky Derby on record, according to a Sunday release from the network. The broadcast topped by 11% last year's Derby audience (17.7 million viewers), which was the event's largest in 36 years (18.5 million viewers in 1989), according to preliminary data from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Viewership peaked at 24.4 million viewers from 7-7:15 p.m. ET, as jockey Jose Ortiz guided Golden Tempo around the final turn to win by...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Friday evening wasn't the only 'Ladies Night' at Churchill Downs this weekend. Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win the GI Kentucky Derby, saddling Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable homebred Golden Tempo (Curlin) to a last-to-first upset at odds of 23-1 in the 152nd renewal on an unseasonably chilly first Saturday in May. The 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' stormed home down the center to narrowly outkick the unlucky Renegade (Into Mischief), slammed hard at the start from his rail draw, by a...

Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable and Wachtel Stable's Rhetorical (Not This Time) was trying nine furlongs for the first time in his career in Saturday's GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, but the distance proved no hindrance whatsoever, as the New York-bred wrested command not long after the break over a course that had been playing kind to front-running types over the weekend and proved not for catching. The 5-year-old gelding is the second consecutive winner of the Turf Classic bred in New York, joining Spirit of St...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - On one of the morning works shows leading up to the GI Kentucky Oaks, trainer Chad Brown was asked if his unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Always a Runner (Gun Runner) was, perhaps, flying into the race under the radar. "When I work her tomorrow, they'll be talking about her," he said confidently. Everybody will still be talking about her after the first Friday in May now, too. Always a Runner made it a perfect three-for-three with a powerful, come-from-behind, 1 1/4-length victory in the...

Corporate Power (Curlin) out-finished the veteran Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) and a closing Baeza (McKinzie) to earn his first graded stakes win in Friday's GII Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs. The 5-1 shot, making his third start here for trainer Steve Asmussen, was last second by just a half-length to classy Louisiana-bred Touchuponastar (Star Guitar) in the GII New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds March 21. As a 3-year with Shug McGaughey, he tried his hand on the Triple Crown trail with a narrow win in the Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico....

With one week to go until next Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, contenders began putting in their final works Friday. At Keeneland, Golden Tempo (Curlin) had his final timed drill for first-time Derby trainer Cherie DeVaux. Working inside of MGSW Brilliant Berti (Noble Mission {GB}), the GIII Lecomte Stakes winner clocked a half-mile in :47.40 (2/72). "He's had different company, and he's outworked each one," DeVaux said. "This was just a maintenance work and Brilliant Berti is a pretty good workhorse and he's older. We didn't want him (Golden Tempo) doing...

Miller Racing's Claret Beret (Not This Time) hit the front at the top of the Oaklawn Park stretch and refused to be pulled back by a charging Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) to win the GI Apple Blossom Stakes, a 'Win and You're In' for this year's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland. The now 5-year-old mare has shown a remarkable uptick in form since being claimed by Saffie Joseph Jr. just about one year. Since winning her first start for him at Gulfstream, a $70,000 handicap race by 19 3/4 lengths,...

Novogratz Racing Stable LLC's Munnings Challenge (c, 3, Munnings--Amy's Challenge, by Artie Schiller) pulled away from his rivals in the final furlong of a six-furlong maiden Saturday at Oaklawn, improving on a debut runner-up effort to become the afternoon's second 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard. The 2-5 jolly nearly beat the bell from the outside stall, exhibiting his dam's speedy tendencies, but he switched off nicely enough in transit to rate in a three-wide third down the back of the track, with the opening quarter posted in a strong...

'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Further Ado (Gun Runner) was tabbed by track oddsmaker Nick Tammaro as the 8-5 morning line favorite in a field of nine 3-year-olds for Saturday's 102nd running of the $1.25 million GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, Keeneland said via a press release on Tuesday. Contested at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, the Blue Grass offers 200 qualifying points for the GI Kentucky Derby. The winner receives 100 points with a sliding scale of 50-25-15-10 points to the second- through fifth-place finishers. The...

The 2025-26 meet at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots concluded with repeat leaders--trainer Joe Sharp and jockey Jose Ortiz--heading the 154th racing season at the New Orleans oval. Trainer Joe Sharp and jockey Jose Ortiz each secured back-to-back titles. Sharp led all conditioners with 47 wins from 211 starts, earning more than $1.7 million in purses while posting a 22% strike rate. He finished ahead of Bret Calhoun, who tallied 31 victories, while Sam David Jr. added 19 wins and veteran Tom Amoss closed out his Fair Grounds career...

10th-FG, 125K, O/C, 3yo, 6f, 6:15 p.m. Thursday marks the return of 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' ENGLISHMAN (Maxfield) for Cherie DeVaux and C R K Stable. It will be the Triple Crown-nominated colt's first start since a 7 1/4-length romp in his first and only race which came six months ago in September under the Twin Spires. That gate-to-wire win over seven furlongs was just a hair off the track record and resulted in a 97 Beyer Speed Figure. "The target race for him is the [GII] Pat...