Every goal is within reach when you're pointed in the right direction

I'm a firm believer that with devotion, hard work, and a little luck, almost any dream can be achieved… even when the odds are stacked against you.

Case in point: earlier this month, former pre-med student Cherie DeVaux made history when she became the first woman in Kentucky Derby history to train a winning horse, shattering the 152-year ceiling and male-dominated streak.

The high-stakes race is the longest-running, continuously held major sporting event in the United States and was founded by American entrepreneur Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. (grandson of William Clark of the Lewis & Clark Expedition), who declared it the Kentucky Derby. Inspired by the prestigious European races and venues he had attended—including the famed Epsom Derby in Surrey, England—Clark returned to the States and founded the Louisville Jockey Club. The iconic venue was host to the 1875 inaugural race (and every race since) and would later become known as Churchill Downs.

In the 1920s, a sports columnist coined the phrase, the ‘Run for the Roses,’ after the rose garlands that were presented to the winners. Although the flower arrangement designs have changed over time, the red rose became the official flower of the Kentucky Derby in 1904. The Garland of Roses is crafted from over 400 Freedom roses and features a ‘crown’ of roses in the center that contains one rose for each of the 20 horses in the race, with one facing upward as a symbol of the heart and tenacity required to reach the winner’s circle.

In addition to the garland, winners receive a 14-karat yellow and green gold trophy topped with an 18-karat gold horse and jockey—that’s solid gold. At 22 inches tall and almost 68 ounces, its gold value (by today’s gold standards) nears $200,000—a figure that climbs once you account for its jade base and 2,000+ hours of craftsmanship. This icon is so precious that it is handled with white gloves. For the 150th anniversary in 2024, it was even elevated with a special 'rose garland' of rubies, emeralds, and diamonds.

While it may seem like a quick, 1 1/4 mile race that typically lasts just two minutes, the hard work that goes into preparing each horse runs much deeper. Long before DeVaux began training Golden Tempo—2026’s Derby winner—she entered the industry at the lowest rank as a ‘hot walker’ and what she calls a “bright-eyed, bushy-tailed exercise rider” with a dream to win. And Golden Tempo would prove to be her ticket to success.

The average training for the event starts when a horse is about one year old, and involves hundreds of hours of specialized daily exercise for approximately two years before they achieve the peak fitness and skill required to participate. The Phipps Stable team describes the 3-year-old bay thoroughbred colt as “exceptionally observant” and says he has been known to stand still on the track, observing the other horses in order to learn their rhythm.

Horse racing is among the most unpredictable sports. So, with Golden Tempo in last place near the half-mile pole, there was yet reason for hope. Just before the finish line, Golden Tempo produced an explosive late surge, astounding the masses and winning the race by the narrowest of margins… and helping DeVaux (and jockey Jose Ortiz) realize her dream of becoming a Derby champ. (They each received an approximate 10% cut of the $3.1 million winning purse.)

While each piece in our line + hue color gradient collection has a unique inspiration, there is one in particular that serendipitously reflects the colorful story of DeVaux and Golden Tempo's remarkable journey from start to finish. The Riviera Grand Chevron Necklace features an ombre pendant with a gradual build in color, representing Golden Tempo's derby progression—its V-shape a literal nod to his ‘victory by a neck.’ The cherry red stones—a trademark color of Team Phipps—mirror his intense forward momentum and his crowning glory as he was draped in the grand Garland of Roses. The sole goldenrod center stone, a reminder of the crown’s single rose facing up in glory, a radiant sapphire with its own golden tempo, and a vibrant reminder that every goal is within reach when you’re pointed in the right direction.