LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In a groundbreaking moment at the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, Golden Tempo clinched victory, making Cherie DeVaux the first female trainer to claim triumph in the inaugural event of the Triple Crown series.

In a thrilling finish, Golden Tempo surged ahead in the final stretch to secure a historic win for DeVaux in the prestigious 1 1/8-mile race. Renegade secured second place, while the long-shot contender Ocelli finished third.

This victory marks DeVaux as only the second woman to train a winner of any Triple Crown race, following Jena Antonucci’s success with Arcangelo at the 2023 Belmont Stakes. Impressively, DeVaux achieved this feat in her first Kentucky Derby attempt, eight years after establishing her own training stable.

Throughout the week leading up to the race, DeVaux evolved from modestly downplaying the significance of potentially being the first woman to train a Derby winner to embracing her role as an inspiration for aspiring female trainers. She joins an exclusive group, becoming just the 18th woman to enter a horse in the Kentucky Derby.

Jockey Jose Ortiz demonstrated exceptional skill, further solidifying his reputation at Churchill Downs by securing his first Derby victory in 11 attempts. He outpaced his brother Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode Renegade, adding a personal triumph to the day’s achievements.

The race went on with just 18 horses after Great White was a late scratch for flipping and throwing his jockey.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is under intense scrutiny following her remarks about her political rival, Spencer Pratt, accusing him of using the grief of wildfire victims for personal gain.

In a striking critique during an interview, Bass dismissed the growing attention around Pratt, questioning his intentions and integrity.

“Honestly, before all this, I hadn’t even heard of Spencer Pratt,” Bass remarked. “My concern is that he’s taking advantage of the heartbreak faced by the Palisades residents. I find that appalling. He’s more focused on his own fame.”

Her statement, made while defending her role during the devastating 2025 wildfires, sparked immediate controversy, particularly because Pratt himself suffered significant losses in the disaster.

The Palisades fire remains one of the most destructive events in Los Angeles history, ravaging tens of thousands of acres, obliterating countless homes, and displacing entire neighborhoods.

Pratt’s own home was reduced to rubble, forcing him, his wife Heidi Montag and their children to live in a trailer on the charred remains of their property.

Critics seized on that reality, accusing Bass of attacking a victim rather than addressing the grievances that have fueled Pratt’s insurgent campaign.

Online backlash was swift and unforgiving. One user wrote: ‘Exploiting grief? He lost everything along with family.’

Karen Bass accused Spencer Pratt of ‘exploiting the grief’ of Palisades wildfire victims during an interview. Bass said she had ‘never heard’ of Pratt before his emergence in the mayoral race

Pratt pictured in front of his destroyed home. The loss inspired him to run for mayor of LA

The Palisades fire , one of the worst disasters in Los Angeles history, scorched tens of thousands of acres, destroyed thousands of structures and displaced entire communities

Pratt responded by accusing Bass of focusing on ‘HER experience’ instead of residents’ experiences. He said he has ‘experienced the consequences’ of Bass’ leadership firsthand

Another pointed to the scale of devastation, arguing the mayor appeared more concerned about political optics than the human toll of the fires.

Prominent political figures also weighed in. Diplomat Richard Grenell criticized Bass on social media, writing: ‘Career politician is offended that someone new is running. She’s incredibly condescending. She thinks she is owed reelection.’

Bass, for her part, defended her record in the same interview, emphasizing her experience and the city’s recovery efforts. 

She pointed to permitting progress and rebuilding timelines. 

‘We have issued over 2600 permits… we have 400 plus homes that are currently under construction… people are getting ready to move in in the summer.’

She also framed the disaster as unprecedented, calling it ‘the worst natural disaster that we experienced in our city,’ while attributing the carnage to changing climate patterns and extreme weather conditions.

Bass suggested Pratt lacked a basic understanding of governance, saying he ‘could benefit by a basic civics course,’ arguing she had not seen ‘a proposal for a solution or a remedy’ from him.

Pratt fired back within hours, turning Bass’ attack into a rallying cry for his campaign.

Pratt has used his wildfire loss as a central theme in his mayoral campaign. In a campaign ad, Pratt criticized conditions in Los Angeles including homelessness and infrastructure issues

Pratt has emerged as a third option and is rising in popularity. He still consistently polls below Bass and Raman

Online users were quick to take Bass to task and explain why Pratt felt the way he did

Spencer Pratt has been living in a trailer after fire burnt his home to the ground. He is pictured with wife Heidi Montag

Pratt, was captured in photos as he watched the rapidly advancing fire move toward his Palisades home last year

The devastating Pacific Palisades fire destroyed 7,000 homes and businesses in what was one of LA’s most exclusive suburbs, killing 12 people and displacing nearly 100,000 residents

Beachfront homes along Pacific Coast Highway were destroyed in the blaze; pictured in January 2025. The cost of the wildfire has been put at $28 billion

‘Karen always likes to talk about HER experience and never YOUR experience in her city,’ he wrote on social media. 

‘I actually care more about YOUR daily experience in LA… I have experienced the consequences of Karen Bass’ failed leadership. All of us have. 

‘She needs to step aside.’

The clash underscores a broader political shift unfolding in Los Angeles ahead of the June 2 mayoral primary – a race that has grown increasingly unpredictable as outsider candidates gain traction.

Pratt, once known primarily for his role on The Hills, has repositioned himself as a populist challenger, using his personal loss in the fires as both testimony and political ammunition. 

In a widely circulated campaign ad, he stands before the mayor’s official residence and declares: ‘They let my home burn down. I know the consequences of failed leadership.’

His campaign has also targeted both Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman over issues ranging from wildfire response to homelessness, sometimes controversially. 

Through a campaign spokesperson, Raman condemned Pratt for filming in front of her home, saying it felt ‘unnecessary and reckless’

Raman has been against efforts to tighten restrictions on homeless encampments. In April, she voted against a measure to add an anti-camping zone in the Rose Avenue area of Venice

The primary for the Los Angeles mayoral race is scheduled for June 2. Bass is generally ahead in most polls, though her lead is tenuous and threatened by Raman

Raman condemned Pratt for filming outside her home for the ad, calling the move ‘unnecessary and reckless,’ while Pratt responded by saying her reaction ‘validat[ed] the entire premise of our commercial.’

Bass, the incumbent, has been under sustained scrutiny over her handling of the wildfires, including questions about preparedness and response times. 

Meanwhile, Raman has emerged as a strong contender in polling, with Pratt positioning himself as a disruptive third force fueled by public anger.

As the Trump administration ramps up its pressure on Iran through a combination of sanctions, naval maneuvers, and strict financial measures, a pivotal question surfaces: Will this unprecedented economic strain succeed in weakening the Iranian regime, or will the leadership once again withstand the hardship, quash any dissent, and continue to endure?

In a recent post on X, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted the impact of the “Economic Fury” campaign, stating it has already disrupted tens of billions of dollars in revenue that might have otherwise supported terrorism. He noted that under the intensified pressure, Iran’s inflation rate has doubled, and its currency has significantly devalued.

Bessent further cautioned that Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, is nearing its storage capacity limits. This situation might compel Iran to reduce production, potentially resulting in around $170 million in daily lost revenue for the regime.

This heightened campaign represents one of the most assertive U.S. efforts in recent years to economically isolate Iran. The primary question remains whether this strategy will lead to substantial concessions from a regime that has historically managed to endure economic adversity. Alternatively, the approach might provoke broader instability, ranging from disruptions in energy markets to regional escalations, before Iran is driven to a breaking point.

As a cargo ship navigates the Persian Gulf towards the Strait of Hormuz on April 22, 2026, the stakes remain high. (AP Photo)

A senior administration official told Fox News Digital that Treasury is aggressively expanding “Economic Fury” beyond traditional sanctions by targeting Iran’s ability to generate, move and repatriate funds across oil, banking, cryptocurrency and covert trade networks.

The official said Treasury has disrupted billions in projected Iranian oil revenue in recent days alone, including freezing half a billion dollars in regime-linked cryptocurrency, while also escalating pressure on Chinese “teapot” refineries, foreign banks and sanctions-evasion networks facilitating Tehran’s trade.

The Treasury has also warned financial institutions in China, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Oman that continued facilitation of Iranian illicit commerce could trigger secondary sanctions, while signaling that foreign companies — including airlines — may also face penalties if they support prohibited Iranian activity.

But Alireza Nader, an Iranian independent analyst based in Washington, is skeptical that economic pressure alone will force a strategic breaking point. 

“It looks like a game of chicken and I think the regime thinks that it can win this game of chicken with President Trump,” he told Fox News Digital.

“I don’t see this economic blockade … leading to some sort of breaking point for the regime,” Nader added, arguing that Iran’s leadership has repeatedly shown it is willing to let ordinary citizens bear extraordinary suffering to preserve power.

“The regime cares about staying in power,” he said, warning that public hardship does not necessarily translate into vulnerability.

“The economic clock is moving much faster on Iran than on its adversaries.”

That skepticism stands in stark contrast to Miad Maleki, a former Treasury sanctions analyst, who argues Washington may now hold its greatest leverage over Iran since the 1979 revolution.

“We’ve never had the level of leverage that we have today with Iran in the history of our conflict … since 1979,” Maleki said.

A senior administration official said Treasury has disrupted billions in projected Iranian oil revenue in recent days alone. (CENTCOM)

For Maleki, what makes this moment different is not sanctions alone, but the convergence of sanctions, naval blockade and aggressive secondary enforcement.

He said Iran’s already fragile economy — marked by 104% food inflation and a roughly 90% collapse in purchasing power — could face roughly $435 million in daily economic losses if maritime restrictions hold.

“Iran’s economy relies on the Strait of Hormuz more than any other economy,” Maleki said, arguing that disruption around the strait may ultimately hurt Iran faster than its adversaries.

If restrictions are fully enforced, Maleki warned, “crude onshore storage shortages in about 7 to 14 days, then they can buy a few weeks with filling up a dozen tankers already in the Persian Gulf, but they have to start dropping oil extraction now in anticipation of running out of storage. They are also facing gasoline shortages in matters of days or a few weeks, forced oil-production cuts, and eventually banking or salary strain.”

Independent shipping intelligence from shipping intelligence firm Kpler suggests Iran’s oil bottleneck may already be intensifying, though perhaps on a slightly longer timeline than some sanctions advocates predict.

Before the conflict, Iran exported roughly 2 million barrels of oil per day, Court Smith, Kpler’s head of engagements and partnerships, told Lauren Simonetti at FOX Business, but current exports appear closer to 1 million barrels daily, leaving an estimated 1 million barrels per day accumulating in storage.

Smith estimated Iran may have roughly 30 days before shoreside storage faces severe capacity constraints under current conditions, while warning that older fields or marginal wells could already be facing early shut-in pressures.

To buy time, Iran has reportedly begun pulling decades-old tankers out of storage for temporary floating capacity, a sign of mounting logistical strain. 

Former Israeli national security adviser Yaakov Amidror argues the blockade should not be judged by whether it forces immediate capitulation, but by whether Washington has the patience to let time erode Iran’s strength.

“Blockade is one of the oldest forms of warfare,” Amidror said. “Blockade equals time.”

In his view, the strategy’s advantage is precisely that it imposes relatively low costs on the United States while gradually exhausting Iran’s economy.

“The siege does its work. It weakens Iran,” he said, describing it as one of the cheapest long-term methods of pressure available.

Amidror also pushed back forcefully against claims that modern enforcement is unrealistic.

“I don’t buy the idea that the U.S. Navy in the 21st century can’t monitor the 35 kilometers of blockade,” he said, arguing that American surveillance, satellites and naval assets are more than capable of controlling the choke point over time.

Danny Citrinowicz, a nonresident fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs, offers a far more skeptical view.

“The blockade won’t force Iran to capitulate,” Citrinowicz said.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a Tuesday post on X that the “Economic Fury” campaign has already disrupted “tens of billions of dollars in revenue” that would otherwise support terrorism. (U.S. Navy/Handout via Reuters)

“This country is under sanctions since 1979 … they know how to make adjustments,” he added.

“The regime isn’t just dependent on oil and energy exports to survive, it has other means of income,” Nader argued, “Oil and natural gas are its biggest sources of income, but I think this regime has made a calculation that it can withstand even months of economic siege because it may think that the Trump administration is more vulnerable to political pressure.”

“Look,” he added, “American voters vote in the president and vote out the president. In Iran, nobody’s voted in and out. The regime maintains power through brutal force. If there are public disturbances, if there are new uprisings, the regime will try to deal with them as it has in the past to mass violence, killing thousands of people. That’s how this regime stays in power.”

Citrinowicz warned that Iran may escalate regionally or exploit global energy vulnerabilities long before economic collapse forces surrender, potentially driving oil prices sharply upward and creating international political pressure before Tehran truly breaks.

“In the pain game … the world will feel that before,” he said.

That leaves the administration facing a strategic endurance contest: Can economic warfare degrade Iran faster than the regime can adapt, repress and weaponize global pain?

Nader believes Iran’s rulers may still calculate that they can outlast U.S. patience through repression and resource management.

Maleki believes the economic “clock is moving much faster” on Iran than on its adversaries.

Amidror argues time itself may be Washington’s greatest weapon.

A senior administration official told Fox News Digital that Treasury is aggressively expanding “Economic Fury” beyond traditional sanctions by targeting Iran’s ability to generate, move and repatriate funds across oil, banking, cryptocurrency and covert trade networks. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Tajh Payne/U.S. Navy/Reuters)

And Citrinowicz warns that if the United States expects quick capitulation, it may be underestimating both Iran’s resilience and its willingness to escalate.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Iranian mission to the U.N., CENTCOM and the Pentagon for comment. 

Artificial intelligence investment is currently the buoy keeping the U.S. economy afloat, preventing it from slipping into a downturn. Without this tech-driven boost, economic growth figures would likely suffer, exacerbated by rising gasoline prices sparked by tensions in Iran, which threaten to stretch American consumers’ budgets to the breaking point.

This bleak outlook has been circulating through mainstream media and some circles on Wall Street, where pessimists warn of an impending burst in the AI bubble. Such a scenario, they claim, could lead to widespread job losses and a wave of corporate bankruptcies.

However, I’m not convinced by these dire predictions.

Many market analysts, who are closely monitoring economic trends, share this skepticism.

Indeed, the situation isn’t without its challenges.

Average Americans are feeling the sting of higher prices at the pump and at the grocery store.

And yes — the AI build-out will end at some point, meaning the economy will have to perform on its own.

But take a little time to vet the facts and you might be given pause.

In fact, you might even see how things could get noticeably better and soon if a few things break our way.

Veteran market strategist Jason Trennert of Strategas Research Partners tells me that “If it weren’t for the war, we would be talking about a reacceleration in the economy.”

He points to President Trump’s tax cuts for business and his ban on tax increases for consumers.

The tax breaks “almost seem prophetic in anticipation of the war,” he said.

He also points to unemployment claims last week coming in below 200,000 — the “lowest since 1969 NOT adjusted for the rise in the population.”

Payrolls increased by 178,000 in March.

Corporate profits remain strong, which is why stocks keep setting records.

They’re also a forward-looking indicator of good stuff to come.

That’s not to say the glass-half-empty crowd don’t have their talking points.

Inflation just clocked in at 3.5%, and 3.2% when you take out volatile stuff like energy and food.

Joe Biden’s spending and Jerome Powell’s feckless monetary policy sparked a historic inflation surge that has moderated but has still left prices elevated.

Labor gets efficient

This column has never been a fan of how President Trump carpet-bombed the world with tariffs.

Treating Canada like China isn’t good policy, and while the White House has backed off the scale of the “Liberation Day” levies, they are still embedded in the US economy.

They serve both as a tax increase on consumers and at least initially, prove to be inflationary.

Meanwhile, Powell, the soon-to-be-gone Fed chair, says that while unemployment numbers remain low, for people looking for work it “doesn’t feel like a good labor market” as fewer new jobs are being created even with GDP growing.

That looks like a scary fact of life with the advent of AI.

OK — but here’s where the “panicans,” as our president likes to call them, start to lose me.

Take a look at the latest economic data: The 2% economic growth — even if it’s mostly AI driven — is a strong number that’s likely to get stronger because of AI.

Even when spending stops on the build-out of the technology, the benefits in terms of productivity begin once it takes hold and labor becomes more efficient.

Inventions create work

I know there is a bear case for AI — namely that it will spark a job apocalypse.

We’ve written about it extensively on these pages.

But that is true of every innovative technology. If history is any guide, other, better paying jobs are always created.

The invention of the car made buggy-whip makers miserable until they found work on the Ford assembly line.

BTW, another major reason for the AI build-out is Trump’s tax and regulatory agenda.

His “Big Beautiful Bill” is one of the best pro-growth pieces of policy in recent history with its major tax incentives for business investment.

The result: 10%-plus growth in this area, according to the last GDP report.

Yes, much of it comes from AI, but other sectors are likewise poised to seize the advantage once the business cycle turns.

While the Iran conflict is clearly an economic drag, it won’t last forever nor will higher gas prices.

Like the job creation from technology advancement, the same pattern follows when you get a peace dividend.

And the economy — here and abroad — is bound to pick up once investors realize that the world’s biggest state sponsors of terrorism, the mullahs in Iran, are completely neutered.