Outrider and pony person Jose Ontiveros dies

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jose Ontiveros, a longtime morning outrider who worked as a pony person in the afternoon at Southern California tracks, died on Feb. 2 of COVID-19, according to his son Edgar.

Jose Ontiveros, 60, was hospitalized at Arcadia Methodist at the time of his death. Ontiveros had been troubled by a cough since late December, according to his son.

“It would not go away,” Edgar Ontiveros said.

Ontiveros, who was best known through the backstretch racing community as Pepe, emigrated from Mexico in the 1980s and rode briefly at Caliente Racetrack in Tijuana, Mexico. He later worked as an exercise rider before becoming an outrider.

“He knew so many people and they all built different memories about him,” Edgar Ontiveros said.

Edgar Ontiveros is an exercise rider for trainer John Sadler and has worked in the afternoons as a pony person.

Jose Ontiveros is survived by his wife, Filipina, and five adult children. The family is planning a memorial service at the end of February, Edgar Ontiveros said.