Just days after Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr. finished first and second at the Kentucky Derby, the brothers are now facing scrutiny. This comes after a USA TODAY Sports investigation published on May 14, 2026, which linked them to alleged involvement in illegal activity in Puerto Rico.
The report states that the claims involve cockfighting and are based on resurfaced social media posts, videos, and promotional material circulating online.
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It traces the matter back to November 2025, when a video surfaced on X appearing to show the brothers inside a cockfighting arena in Puerto Rico. According to multiple reports, they appeared to be collecting money from bettors near the fighting pit during an active cockfight.
After that, more material started circulating. A Facebook post dated December 17, 2025, showed the brothers under a “Meet the Participants” section and allegedly described them as competitors in a tournament called “Gran Campeón Caribeño” (Caribbean Grand Champion).
An image dated January 15, 2024, shows Jose and Irad standing with a known cockfighting breeder and promoter. It includes a location tag linking it to Club Gallistico de Naguabo. The same venue also appears in earlier videos and posts tied to the report.
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The incident drew the attention of PETA senior vice president Kathy Guillermo who said the sport cannot ignore allegations involving animal cruelty.
She stated: “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 organization also called officials to bar both brothers from future Eclipse Award nominations. They also said authorities should investigate or prosecute them if evidence supports wrongdoing. And this raises a bigger question about possible consequences if the claims move forward and that too when preakness is just days away.
Can the Ortiz brothers still race in the Preakness amid growing scrutiny?
Jose arrives at the Preakness on May 16 with fresh momentum after the biggest win of his career, 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 said. “I’m going for it.” After all, Jose Ortiz’s career numbers stand at 18,900 starts, 3,581 wins, and $311,776,409 in earnings.
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Irad also lines up for the Preakness on Talkin, still searching for his first win in the race. Even Irad Ortiz Jr. has 22,195 starts, 4,546 wins, and $392,928,485 in earnings, showing just how dominant both have been over time. But with questions building, can they even take part in the Preakness race?
The KHRG (Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation) already investigated the Ortiz brothers earlier. The review included background checks and meetings with the jockeys. Officials later confirmed that no disciplinary action was taken. As the agency’s Chief Legal Officer, Ashleigh Bailey told USA TODAY Sports, “The investigation did not result in any action being taken by KHRG.” She also said stewards ultimately chose not to pursue any administrative penalties after the review.
However, some details of what was discussed during those meetings have not been made public. KHRG later added that it would not comment further on the matter.
At the national level, the structure of racing regulation also limits how far the issue can go. The HISA (Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority) has clarified that it does not investigate off-track conduct. According to CEO Lisa Lazarus, that responsibility sits with individual state racing commissions that issue licenses.
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So far, no racing commission has announced any suspension or disciplinary action against either jockey. Even when the matter reached other jurisdictions, responses remained cautious. The California Horse Racing Board said it was aware of the allegations involving the Ortiz brothers but noted that “evidentiary and authority limitations” prevent it from opening a formal case under its current rules.
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