Kentucky Derby 2026: Loyalty kept Jose Ortiz aboard Golden Tempo
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LOUISVILLE, Ky.- Brotherly love goes only so far.
Jockey Jose Ortiz and his brother Irad were both looking for their first Kentucky Derby victory when they came charging down the center of the track under the Twin Spires on Saturday. They drove their respective mounts, Golden Tempo and Renegade, toward the wire in the final stages of the race, but ultimately only one could achieve that goal - at the expense of the other.
At the finish it was Jose, the younger of the two, who would celebrate his first Derby victory after Golden Tempo rallied from last to outfinish Renegade and register a neck decision. The victory put the punctuation mark on a memorable weekend for Jose that began Friday with five victories, including the Kentucky Oaks while aboard Always a Runner.
“I want him (Irad) to win the Derby, of course," Jose said in the winner’s circle. "It’s his dream as well. But it happened this way. Today was my day.
“He congratulated me when we first crossed the wire. And as we pulled up, he told me he was very happy for me. That I deserved it for all the hard work I’ve put in.”
Jose Ortiz also deserved it for the brilliant ride he put up aboard Golden Tempo, who dropped back to last after a bit of a troubled start and had to work his way through traffic before getting the better of Renegade in the closing strides. The trip and result was reminiscent of the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Mile when Ortiz gave trainer Cherie DeVaux her first Breeders’ Cup victory with a come-from-behind victory aboard More Than Looks.
“I knew my horse was a closer, I just wanted to go to the rail and save ground," Ortiz said. "I was hoping for a fast pace and we got it. I had plenty of horse coming into the stretch and I just followed Renegade, I thought he was the horse to beat. And I’m just very happy we won it.”
Ortiz has been Golden Tempo’s regular rider throughout his career, having guided him to victories in his first two starts including the Grade 3 Lecomte, before finishing third in both the Grade 2 Risen Star and Louisiana Derby. DeVaux made sure early on she would be able to retain his services on Derby day.
“I reached out to Jose’s agent (Steve Rushing) and I said ‘please, please put my mind to rest, you are going to ride my horse right?’” DeVaux recalled. “I really was apprehensive with a couple of riders moving around at the time. And when Jose came to Kentucky, they really went all in on us.”
For Ortiz, sticking with DeVaux and Golden Tempo was all about loyalty. And an issue that, in his mind, was never really in doubt.
“She’s always been loyal and supported me throughout my career so I felt like I should give it back to her,” Ortiz explained. “So I knew always that Golden Tempo was going to be my mount.”
As for Irad Ortiz, if there was any consolation in losing out on his first Derby winner by the narrowest of margins, it was that he was beaten by his brother.
“I saw somebody was coming and right away, when he went by me, I called his name,” Irad said. “I always say if I’m going to get beat in a race like this, I wish it would be by my brother. But I’m happy for him. He deserved it. What an amazing weekend. Oaks and Derby. Wow.”
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