After Eleven Attempts, José Luis Ortiz Finally Wins the Kentucky Derby and Makes Puerto Rican History

After Eleven Attempts, José Luis Ortiz Finally Wins the Kentucky Derby and Makes Puerto Rican History
Credit: Instagram/ joseortizjockey

The Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky has witnessed 152 editions of the most celebrated horse race in North America, and on Saturday it added a chapter that Puerto Rican racing fans will be telling for generations.

José Luis Ortiz, riding Golden Tempo, crossed the finish line first at the 152nd Kentucky Derby, ending an eleven-attempt pursuit of the sport’s most coveted prize and delivering an emotional victory that his entire family, including his parents who were present in the stands, watched in real time before a crowd of over 100,000 people.

Eleven Years in the Making

Golden Tempo surpassed the favorite Renegade in the final stretch of the 1 and a quarter mile race, completing the course in 2 minutes and 2.27 seconds. The margin was narrow and the finish was tense, made all the more extraordinary by the fact that the horse Ortiz overtook in those final yards was ridden by his own brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., turning a historic sporting moment into an intensely personal one.

Ortiz did not waste time searching for words when the race was over. Speaking in Spanish to reporters, he said, according to El Nuevo Día: “I have the opportunity to participate almost every year, but winning is something very special. I wish my grandfather were here, but I know he is watching me from heaven. I am very happy to have achieved my goal, the dream of my life.”

He elaborated further when speaking to Estudio Hípico with Joe Bruno on his way to the post-race press conference. “Thank God it happened for me. We had tried a couple of years and it had never come together, but this time it did. I want to dedicate this victory to God and to my grandfather who I know is watching me from heaven, to my whole family and to Puerto Rico,” said the rider, who is originally from Trujillo Alto. “It is a dream I have always had as a jockey. This is the race you want to win. I had just won in Dubai, but this is special. This is the Kentucky Derby.”

A Historic Moment for Puerto Rican Racing

José Luis Ortiz became only the third Puerto Rican jockey in history to win the Kentucky Derby. Ángel “Junior” Cordero Jr. won the race three times during his legendary career, and John Velázquez, who is originally from Carolina, Puerto Rico, also holds three Derby victories. Ortiz now joins that lineage as one of the most celebrated riders the island has ever produced.

Saturday’s race also set a separate record for Puerto Rican participation. Seven Puerto Rican jockeys competed in the 152nd edition of the Run for the Roses, a figure that surpasses the previous record of four. Jaime Torres finished sixth aboard Incredibolt, Velázquez himself came in eleventh on Further Ado, Cristian Torres placed fourteenth on Robusta, Manny Franco followed on Albus, and Edwin Maldonado finished last among the 18 horses that competed aboard Pavlovian.

Brothers at the Finish Line

The moment Ortiz crossed the line, he turned immediately to his brother. Irad, who had pushed Golden Tempo to the very end while riding Renegade, met his brother’s celebration with genuine warmth. “He congratulated me, he told me I deserved it and that he was very happy for me,” José Luis recounted. “As brothers we will always support each other. This time he finished second, but I hope that someday he wins it too.”

The scene between the two brothers captured something that statistics and finishing times cannot fully convey about what Saturday meant. Puerto Rico sent seven of its finest riders to Churchill Downs, and one of them came home with the roses.

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