“We are so proud”: Englewood reacts to DeVaux’s Derby win

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, (WINK) —A historic Kentucky Derby win is bringing a surge of pride to Southwest Florida.

Cherie DeVaux, who grew up in Englewood, became the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

At Lemon Bay High School, where DeVaux once was a student, the moment quickly spread through the community.

“It was just one of those moments that we just couldn't get out of the way of. It was like a tidal wave,” said Sean Huber, the school’s assistant athletic director.

Huber, who taught DeVaux, said she was known as a relentless worker who balanced school with her time around horses, a commitment he says helped shape her path.

“She likes to stay out of the spotlight,” Huber said. “She doesn't really have a choice now, you know, being a Kentucky Derby winner, which is just crazy to say.”

The win has sparked an outpouring of support across Englewood, with local businesses, residents and former classmates celebrating one of their own reaching the top of the sport.

“I’m speaking for all of Englewood,” Huber said. “We are so, so proud to call her our own, and we can’t wait to see what she’s going to do next.”

Beyond the school, DeVaux’s win is already being felt by the next generation of riders.

At Branded Heart Stables in Englewood, owner Kathy Genth said DeVaux’s success represents a breakthrough in a male-dominated industry and gives young girls someone to look up to.

“She grew up here with horsehair on her shirt and sand on her feet,” Genth said. “That’s so cool.”

Reygan Pasch, one of the young riders at the stable, said DeVaux’s win changes what girls can picture in horse racing.

“When we think of the horse world or horse racing, we think of a male trainer, a male jockey, now we can think of a woman trainer,” Pasch said. “I just think it really brings us into a new generation.”

Genth said the moment shows that women can succeed at the highest levels of the sport.

“I feel that her training that racehorse and winning the Kentucky Derby, what a feather in our cap for women,” she said.

As DeVaux’s career continues, those who watched her grow up say they’ll be watching closely for what comes next.