José Ortiz rode 2026 Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo to victory while his brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., rode the second-place horse, Renegade. The race was a triumph for Puerto Rico, with a record-setting seven jockeys in the line-up. It was also historic for being the first Kentucky Derby win for a female trainer – Cherie DeVaux trained Golden Tempo.
José Ortiz
José Ortiz is a Puerto Rican thoroughbred jockey widely recognized as one of the leading riders in North American horse racing. Born on October 2, 1993, in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, he grew up in a family deeply connected to the sport. His grandfather, also named José Ortiz, was a jockey, and his younger brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., has likewise become one of the sport’s most accomplished riders. Ortiz attended Puerto Rico’s Escuela Vocacional Hípica, a specialized school that prepares students for careers in horse racing, where he developed the skills and discipline that define his career.
The school’s Facebook page expresses pride following the win, while Governor Gonzalez-Colon’s comment on the page describes it as a “victory that fills Puerto Rico with pride and demonstrates, once again, the talent of our people on the biggest stages of the world.”
PRInforma also shared a proud post, this one featuring a shot of the brothers as Jose came from the back of the pack to win.
Ortiz moved to the mainland United States as a teenager and by 2012 was successful on the New York racing circuit. He had the largest number of wins in North America in 2016 and earned Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey in 2017 and 2018, reflecting his consistency, tactical intelligence, and strong rapport with trainers and horses. He won the Kentucky Oaks the day before the Kentucky Derby victory.
Ortiz said after the race, “I get to ride it almost every year, but to get to win it, it’s just special,” he said. “I just wish my grandpa were here, but I know he’s looking from heaven. Just very happy that I got my goal, my life dream goal achieved.” This was his eleventh Derby.
Puerto Rican jockeys
Many people don’t realize that the Island is one of the most influential pipelines of talent in North American horse racing.
One of the most accomplished jockeys is Ángel Cordero Jr., a Hall of Famer who won the Kentucky Derby three times and was the leading rider in the United States for multiple years. He later became a mentor to younger Puerto Rican jockeys, helping shape the next generation. Another standout is John Velázquez, also a Hall of Famer and multiple Kentucky Derby winner. Velázquez has been one of the most consistent elite riders of the past two decades, known for his success in major stakes races and his long partnership with top trainers. Eddie Belmonte was the first Puerto Rican jockey to compete in the Kentucky Derby.
Before these pioneers raced in the states, Puerto Rico was already an important part of the international riding scene. Puerto Rico is home to the Puerto Rican Paso Fino horse, a breed that is considered endangered. It has been bred for riding from the horses Spanish explorers brought to the Island in the 15th century. They are known for their unusual gait — a genetic trait, not based on training. Horse racing has been an important sport and industry for more than a century. Early jockeys included Carmen Del Valle, Mateo Matos, and Héctor M. Saldaña.
The Puerto Rico Horse Racing Industry and Sport Act, a Puerto Rican law passed in 1987, announces, “Since the last century when it was a part of our religious celebrations as a wholesome entertainment, to the present, when it has become a sport, a game of chance and an industry, it is still the activity which Puerto Ricans most enjoy.”
