Jockey Jose Ortiz Rode Kentucky Derby Winner Golden Tempo. What's His Bio?
Jose Ortiz is the jockey who rode Golden Tempo to victory in the Kentucky Derby 2026.
Who is Jose Ortiz? What's his bio? He's from Puerto Rico. His older brother is also a jockey. According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, Ortiz, 32, is from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. "Ortiz has now won every Triple Crown race. He captured the Belmont Stakes in 2017 with Tapwrit and the Preakness with Early Voting in 2022," the newspaper noted.
According to the Oklahoman, Golden Tempo "covered the 1¼ miles on a fast dirt track in 2:02.27 and paid $48.24 on a $2 win wager."
"This is a dream come true," said Ortiz, who, according to the Oklahoman, also won the Kentucky Oaks with Always a Runner. "This is the biggest race in the world. I get to ride it almost every year, but to win is special." Renegade finished in second place despite being the odds leader.
Golden Tempo Jockey Jose Ortiz Is a Puerto Rican Jockey Who 'Currently Rides on the New York Circuit'
The Ortiz family is heavily involved in horse racing.
"Jose Ortiz is a Puerto Rican jockey who currently rides on the New York circuit with his older brother Irad Ortiz Jr. The pair made headlines on January 20, 2013 when they won the first seven races on Aqueduct's card with Jose earning three of the wins," according to Ortiz's bio on America's Best Racing.
"Horse racing is a family affair for Ortiz, whose year-older brother Irad Ortiz Jr. made his 10th Derby start aboard Renegade out of Post 1," the Courier-Journal wrote.
Jose Ortiz Has Built a Career 'Worthy of Eventual Consideration for the Racing Hall of Fame'
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Even before his Kentucky Derby victory, Ortiz had built a career impressive enough to warrant consideration for the racing Hall of Fame.
"Ortiz was the regular rider of 2014 Kentucky Derby contender Samraat. Later that year, Ortiz was aboard Upstart for a third place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and won the Holy Bull on the colt as they made their way down the Triple Crown trail," the America's Best Racing bio adds.
"From 2022 into 2026, Ortiz continued to build a career worthy of eventual consideration for the Racing Hall of Fame. He tallied significant stakes wins with Letruska, Jack Christopher, Locked, Didia, and Nitrogen during this period," the bio says.
"Ortiz earned his second win in a Triple Crown race aboard Early Voting in the 2022 Preakness Stakes. He picked up another Breeders’ Cup win with More Than Looks in the 2024 Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf, and a second Kentucky Oaks victory in 2026 aboard Always a Runner," the bio says.
"Another career highlight came in early 2026 when Ortiz piloted Magnitude to a front-running win over international superstar Forever Young in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline at Meydan Racecourse."