Dead Last to First: What a Kentucky Derby Win Teaches Musicians About Growth

I spent four summers at the Aspen Music Festival. I loved it—the mountains, the studio energy, and lessons with Joaquin Valdepeñas.

But my first screened placement audition didn’t go how I expected.

I placed 19th out of 25.

I remember staring at the results, walking away disappointed, and feeling like I had missed the mark completely.

But over time, something changed. That result didn’t define me—it lit something in me.

Recently, I came across the Kentucky Derby win of Golden Tempo, ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Cherie DeVaux.

What stood out wasn’t just the win—it was how it happened.

A horse that was dead last going into the final turn, more than 20 lengths behind… and still surged through the entire field to win.

It was also a historic win—the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby.

A few days before the race, the horse had cracked heels. Not serious, but enough that DeVaux chose not to push training intensity. No heavy gallops—just light, intentional work based on intuition rather than convention.

At 23–1 odds, in a field of 18, expectations were low.

Then the race began.

Dead last.

Until the final stretch—where everything shifted. Lock-in. Acceleration. Overtake. Victory.

Watching that, I thought immediately of Aspen.

Because growth rarely looks like steady progress.

It often looks like setbacks… followed by something clicking later.

That placement in Aspen did three things for me:

I started building real discipline—early mornings, practicing by the pond as mist rose over the water.

I developed a structured practice routine that actually fit how I worked, not just what I was told.

And I took the mental side seriously—studying Don Greene’s Audition Success, learning visualization, and understanding nerves and self-talk under pressure.

The biggest shift wasn’t “working harder.”

It was learning how I needed to work:

• morning-focused
• solitude-driven
• physically active to support mental clarity

That alignment changed everything.

If you feel like you’re behind right now—dead last, late, or off-track—here’s the truth:

You’re not at the end of your story.

You’re in the part where momentum is being built.

A few principles that matter most in this stage:

Your body affects your performance. Movement changes your mental state.

Study performance psychology, don’t just admire it. Use it.

Build a practice system that fits you—not a generic template.

Train your mind like your instrument: visualization, self-talk, nervous system control.

Find your consistent “early window” where your work feels most focused and yours.

Dead last is rarely the end.

Sometimes it’s the beginning of the version of you that actually holds under pressure.

The question is simple:

What happens after your turning point?

🎥 Watch it here, it’s so cool to see. 🐎

Rooting for you,
Ixi

P.S.

If you want a space that holds all of this—the mindset work, the practical tools, and the environment that supports the work—that’s what Thrive is.

You can learn more and join us [HERE].

The Practice with Purpose framework is $99 for 2 six-month planners. It includes:

• The complete framework ($37 system)
• Your 2 physical planners included (an $80 value, shipped to your door)
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• A system built on alignment, connection, and flow