Kentucky Derby Winner Jose Ortiz And His Brother Dragged Into Alleged Illegal Controversy Ahead of Preakness
Just days after Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr. completed first and second on the Kentucky Derby, the brothers at the moment are going through scrutiny. This comes after a USA TODAY Sports investigation printed on May 14, 2026, which linked them to alleged involvement in criminality in Puerto Rico.
The report states that the claims contain cockfighting and are based mostly on resurfaced social media posts, movies, and promotional materials circulating on-line.
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It traces the matter again to November 2025, when a video surfaced on X showing to point out the brothers inside a cockfighting area in Puerto Rico. According to a number of studies, they gave the impression to be amassing cash from bettors close to the combating pit throughout an energetic cockfight.
After that, extra materials began circulating. A Facebook put up dated December 17, 2025, confirmed the brothers below a “Meet the Participants” part and allegedly described them as rivals in a match referred to as “Gran Campeón Caribeño” (Caribbean Grand Champion).
An picture dated January 15, 2024, exhibits Jose and Irad standing with a identified cockfighting breeder and promoter. It features a location tag linking it to Club Gallistico de Naguabo. The similar venue additionally seems in earlier movies and posts tied to the report.
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The incident drew the eye of PETA senior vice chairman Kathy Guillermo who mentioned the game can’t ignore allegations involving animal cruelty.
She acknowledged: “With the horse racing industry already plagued by doping, horse deaths and horse abuse scandals, the last thing it should celebrate is jockeys who engage in egregious cruelty to other animals in a jurisdiction where it’s illegal.”
The group additionally referred to as officers to bar each brothers from future Eclipse Award nominations. They additionally mentioned authorities ought to examine or prosecute them if proof helps wrongdoing. And this raises a much bigger query about attainable penalties if the claims transfer ahead and that too when preakness is simply days away.
Can the Ortiz brothers nonetheless race within the Preakness amid rising scrutiny?
Jose arrives on the Preakness on May 16 with recent momentum after the most important win of his profession, his first Kentucky Derby victory on May 2 aboard Golden Tempo. He now switches to Chip Honcho for the Preakness at Laurel Park. As he says, “Trying to win the Triple Crown on different horses, why not?” Ortiz mentioned. “I’m going for it.” After all, Jose Ortiz’s profession numbers stand at 18,900 begins, 3,581 wins, and $311,776,409 in earnings.
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Irad additionally strains up for the Preakness on Talkin, still searching for his first win in the race. Even Irad Ortiz Jr. has 22,195 begins, 4,546 wins, and $392,928,485 in earnings, exhibiting simply how dominant each have been over time. But with questions constructing, can they even participate within the Preakness race?
The KHRG (Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation) already investigated the Ortiz brothers earlier. The evaluate included background checks and conferences with the jockeys. Officials later confirmed that no disciplinary motion was taken. As the company’s Chief Legal Officer, Ashleigh Bailey advised USA TODAY Sports, “The investigation did not result in any action being taken by KHRG.” She additionally mentioned stewards finally selected to not pursue any administrative penalties after the evaluate.
However, some particulars of what was mentioned throughout these conferences haven’t been made public. KHRG later added that it will not remark additional on the matter.
At the nationwide stage, the construction of racing regulation additionally limits how far the problem can go. The HISA (Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority) has clarified that it doesn’t examine off-track conduct. According to CEO Lisa Lazarus, that duty sits with particular person state racing commissions that concern licenses.
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So far, no racing fee has introduced any suspension or disciplinary motion towards both jockey. Even when the matter reached different jurisdictions, responses remained cautious. The California Horse Racing Board mentioned it was conscious of the allegations involving the Ortiz brothers however famous that “evidentiary and authority limitations” prevented it from opening a proper case below its present guidelines.
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