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Jose Ortiz captured his first Kentucky Derby victory in 2026, narrowly defeating his brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., by less than a length aboard Golden Tempo. This win marked a significant milestone for the Ortiz brothers, who have both been prominent figures in American horse racing for nearly 20 years but had never before secured a Derby win.
Interestingly, both jockeys faced fines during the 2022 Kentucky Derby weekend at Churchill Downs for exceeding Kentucky’s newly enforced limits on overhead strikes to horses. These rules, implemented the previous winter, restrict jockeys to a maximum of six overhead strikes per race, with no more than two consecutive hits allowed to prevent overwhelming the horse.
Irad Ortiz Jr. was fined $500 for a violation during the Derby itself, as he rode Mo Donegal to a fifth-place finish. Jose Ortiz, meanwhile, was among several jockeys fined $500 for infractions in other races that weekend.
The Derby was a close and intense contest, with Irad nearly claiming the title aboard Renegade, one of the race favorites. After the race, Irad praised his brother’s performance, noting, “We got squeezed at the start.
We came flying late, but the winner just got the jump on me. He ran very well.”
Jose Ortiz, reflecting on his strategy, acknowledged using his brother’s position in the race to his advantage. “I felt like I had horse left to give, so I was following Irad on Renegade, and I felt like we were moving along very nicely,” he explained.
“I felt like going outside on him wasn’t going to hurt me. I think he was the horse to beat.
We always knew this horse had a lot of ability.”
He also shared insight into Golden Tempo’s temperament, describing the horse as “lazy” early in his career and expressing confidence that Golden Tempo would be his mount for the Derby. “This is an incredible experience. I just won the Kentucky Derby,” Jose said emotionally.
The victory also marked a historic achievement for trainer Cherie DeVaux, who became the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner, adding another layer of significance to this memorable race.