Golden Tempo trainer Cherie DeVaux calls criticism of Preakness decision unfair: 'The horse is not a machine'

Golden Tempo is not moving successful nan Preakness Stakes aft winning nan Kentucky Derby, and trainer Cherie DeVaux said they are focused connected nan bigger picture.

DeVaux, 44, told Fox News Digital successful a caller question and reply that astir of nan reactions to Golden Tempo not participating and missing retired connected a chance for nan Triple Crown, person been positive. She did explanation nan disapproval astir nan determination to remainder Golden Tempo arsenic unfair.

"It's been a operation of both, mostly positive. Which I appreciate, and I understand that fans of nan athletics aliases fans of nan Triple Crown are disappointed, but nan equine is not a machine," DeVaux said.

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Trainer Cherie DeVaux stands extracurricular a barn aft a workout astatine Churchill Downs successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected April 27, 2026. (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)

"I person to advocator arsenic nan trainer to nan owners aliases nan clients, and we had a conversation, it wasn't my decision. It was a determination we made arsenic a group and I'm sorry if group don't understand what goes into it. ‘Why participate nan Derby if your not going to tally nan Triple Crown?’ Well, I deliberation that’s unfair. We are not committing to this and they're horses, for illustration they're animals, and they're not conscionable a car wherever you tin spell retired and tally them successful 2 weeks. That’s not really it works, and unluckily if you’re not going to understand, past I can’t thief you."

DeVaux said she honors nan contented of nan Triple Crown, but they don’t want to push Golden Tempo excessively hard. The Saratoga Springs, New York, autochthonal called nan determination a difficult one.

"It’s hard, I do understand wherever others are coming from, but I do deliberation it's unfair nan measurement that I person received immoderate of nan messages and what they're saying, but whatever, they're not successful my position to train nan equine and truthful so their sentiment doesn't matter to me," DeVaux said.

CHERIE DEVAUX REFLECTS ON MAKING KENTUCKY DERBY HISTORY AS FIRST FEMALE TRAINER TO WIN THE RACE

Cherie DeVaux, trainer of Golden Tempo, celebrates pinch nan trophy successful nan winner's circle aft nan 152nd Kentucky Derby astatine Churchill Downs successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected May 2, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

They took a fewer days to fto everything calm down earlier making a determination connected Golden Tempo’s information successful nan 2nd limb of nan Triple Crown. DeVaux said nan equine is good health-wise.

"We tried to fto nan particulate settee connected nan full weekend, and Golden Tempo is fine. But we deliberation it takes a unsocial equine to beryllium capable to travel backmost and tally successful 2 weeks. And we conscionable didn't consciousness for illustration for him that was nan responsible point for his full career, particularly this year. We're focused connected a bigger image than nan Triple Crown," DeVaux said.

"Even though nan Kentucky Derby is nan first limb of nan Triple Crown, I’m ever biased, wherever you tin attraction connected nan Triple Crown aliases you tin attraction connected nan twelvemonth because it takes truthful overmuch retired of them. And we were speaking. We decided that it was his champion liking to attraction connected nan year, not conscionable coming backmost successful 2 weeks and past coming backmost successful 3 weeks."

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Cherie DeVaux celebrates aft becoming nan first female trainer to triumph nan Kentucky Derby during nan 152nd moving astatine Churchill Downs successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected May 2, 2026. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

DeVaux said that nan extremity is for Golden Tempo to tally astatine nan Belmont. She besides noted that this years Triple Crown is different from years prior.

"No, that is decidedly our adjacent extremity and we're pointing towards that," DeVaux said. "Saratoga is great. My family lives up there, but I was really looking guardant to moving him nan mile and a half, you know, it’s different circumstances."

"We're moving nan Preakness astatine Laurel. We're moving nan Belmont astatine Saratoga astatine a different distance. So, you know, it's not nan existent Triple Crown layout that has been historical successful nan past mates years."

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Trainer Cherie DeVaux kisses nan trophy aft Golden Tempo won nan 152nd Kentucky Derby astatine Churchill Downs successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected May 2, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP Photo)

The Preakness Stakes are traditionally held astatine Pimlico Race Course successful Baltimore, but are being held astatine Laurel Park owed to renovations. The Belmont Stakes are usually held astatine Belmont Park successful Elmont, New York, but are being held astatine Saratoga Race Course successful Saratoga Springs, New York, owed to renovations.

The Kentucky Derby was still held astatine Churchill Downs this year. DeVaux made history successful Louisville, becoming nan first female trainer to person a equine triumph nan Kentucky Derby.

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