Kentucky Derby 2025 jockey Jose Ortiz: Meet the rider of the horse Sandman

In the Triple Crown history of Jose Ortiz, the Puerto Rican jockey has done everything — except win the Kentucky Derby.

Ortiz, 31, has won the Preakness Stakes. He took the second leg of North American thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown in 2022 aboard the horse Early Voting.

He has also won the Belmont Stakes. Ortiz claimed the third leg of the Triple Crown in 2017 on Tapwrit.

In the Kentucky Derby, Ortiz has come close to winning. He was second on Good Magic in 2018 and third aboard Tacitus in 2019.

This year, Ortiz will be on trainer Mark Casse’s Sandman in the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby.

“I think he’s a long horse, but he’s kind of narrow,” Ortiz told FanDuel Racing about Sandman. “So I think it will help me if I need to get through a tight spot (in the Derby).

“But I don’t think he’s the kind of horse that you hold, hold, hold on and they give you one turn of foot. You’ve got to allow him to get into that stride.

“My main focus (in the Kentucky Derby) will be not having him stuck (in traffic) when I want to make my move.”

Here are the things you need to know about Ortiz:

▪ Kentucky Derby track record: In nine prior Derby rides, he has finished in the top five four times.

▪ Other Triple Crown races: In addition to his wins in the Preakness and Belmont (cited above), Ortiz has also finished second in the Belmont Stakes three times — in 2018 on Gronkowski, in 2019 on Tacitus and in 2022 on Nest.

▪ Breeders’ Cup results: Has won six Breeders’ Cup races, including last year’s Mile on More Than Looks.

▪ Career statistics: Through races of April 30, Ortiz had ridden 399 races in 2025 with 96 wins (a 24% win percentage) and earnings of $7,713,762.

For his career, he has ridden 17,368 races with 3,239 wins (19% win percentage) with earnings of $271,806,799.

▪ Career honors: Won the Eclipse Award as Outstanding Jockey in 2017.

Led North American riders in wins in 2016 (351) and in earnings in 2017 ($27,318,875).

▪ Worth noting: Is the younger brother of jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and the husband of former jockey Taylor Rice

This story was originally published May 2, 2025 at 11:25 AM.

Mark Story

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-444-4731

Mark Story has worked in the Lexington Herald-Leader sports department since Aug. 27, 1990, and has been a Herald-Leader sports columnist since 2001. I have covered every Kentucky-Louisville football game since 1994, every UK-U of L basketball game but three since 1996-97 and every Kentucky Derby since 1994. Support my work with a digital subscription