By Joe Bianca
It was a little over a year ago that the connections of Lady Eli (Divine Park) went from the highest of highs to a devastating and terrifying low. The superstar turfer, coming off of a routinely brilliant performance in winning the Grade I Belmont Oaks July 4, stepped on a nail on the way back from the testing barn.
Shortly after, she developed symptoms of laminitis in both of her front feet and suddenly, in the prime of a fantastic career, it was doubtful Lady Eli would ever race again and unclear if she would even survive.
The undefeated bay filly, showing the determination she so often displayed in her wins, steadily improved throughout the rest of the summer and was put on a van to Lexington's Dell Ridge Farm in September to be turned out for the fall.
Fast forward to present day, and the now 4-year-old filly has not only survived the ordeal, but returned to regular training, breezing seven times since July 3 while being pointed toward the Aug. 27 Grade II Ballston Spa S. at Saratoga. The first four of those works took place at Belmont Park, where you'll find Cherie DeVaux, top assistant to New York's leading trainer, Chad Brown. With the return of her star pupil fast approaching, DeVaux reflected on the events of the past year Thursday.
“It's been a very emotional journey,” DeVaux said. “And people who know me know I'm not a hugely emotional person. [Her return] is a huge deal for all of us.”
Though it was difficult to see Lady Eli depart from her care last fall, DeVaux says she felt comfort in knowing that she and the Brown team had done all they could do to ensure the filly's health, whether or not she ever ran again.
“In the thick of things, you just want her to be OK,” the 34-year-old recalled. “When she went on that van in September, we rested on our laurels knowing that, if she never made it back to a racetrack, at least from all of our efforts, she would live a healthy and comfortable life.”
DeVaux credited Lady Eli's spirit for her ability to recover so completely from her life-threatening affliction.
“She has a tremendous inner strength that I don't think, personally, I've seen. She would never quit. She fought a long fight the whole time. Never feeling sorry for herself, to put it in people or more relatable terms. She's really one of a kind.”
Of course, Lady Eli is far from the only high-quality horse in the Brown barn. And with the boss up in Saratoga for the meet, potentially closing in on his first summer training title, it falls to DeVaux to oversee Brown's operations downstate. Managing such a colossal stable certainly has its benefits in win totals and purse earnings, but it presents challenges as well.
“You have to manage your time, both personally and professionally,” DeVaux says. “The first couple of years, I didn't get burnt out, but I had to learn how to set some boundaries. I go to the gym and those are my two hours to myself. It's hard, but I have a lot of support, supportive family and friends. My family is from a horse racing background, so they understand. My father is a harness trainer and I have a brother who drives at Saratoga.”
DeVaux worked as an assistant for trainer Chuck Simon in the early-to-mid 2000s, when that stable was competing in Kentucky and Arkansas, before making the move to Brown's stable when he went out on his own.
“Chuck's first job was for my father,” DeVaux explained. “We joke that when I have a birthday, he's the one who feels older. I had worked for him for six years when I decided I wanted to get closer to home. My family is from the Saratoga area. I had known Chad when he was an assistant for Bobby Frankel, had seen him at Churchill and Hot Springs. He said 'when you need a job, let me know.' When I wanted to get closer to home, I talked to him. I just wanted something temporary, initially as an exercise rider.”
Little did she know what that temporary riding gig would turn into. DeVaux has helped oversee the exponential growth of an outfit that is now annually one of the most successful in the world.
“This is our sixth year, going into seventh,” DeVaux said. “And it's so much fun to be part of something that's grown into such a powerhouse that we are. We've all done it together and cultivating this has been special.”
With the Brown Express charging toward its first Saratoga training crown, it would be reasonable if its Belmont general felt a little bittersweet about being physically removed from that accomplishment. DeVaux insists that's not the case.
“I enjoy watching them,” DeVaux said. “At the same time, we're developing exciting horses here. I made it up there once. It's great to be part of such a good team. We're all happy for each other. We all congratulate each other.”
When a certain filly makes her long-awaited comeback, however, DeVaux says she plans on being at the Spa. Because when she said goodbye to Lady Eli last September, she couldn't be sure she would ever get that chance.
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