Kentucky Derby 2026: Brothers Jose and Irad Ortiz finish first and second on Golden Tempo and Renegade
It was brother against brother at the end of the 2026 Kentucky Derby.
The final stretch of the 2026 Kentucky Derby saw race favorite Renegade and longshot Golden Tempo surge forward, with Golden Tempo getting a historic win . It was a thrilling finish, and also a big day for two brothers. Jose Ortiz (Golden Tempo) and Irad Ortiz Jr.
(Renegade) were the jockeys atop the top two finishing horses at Churchill Downs on Saturday. You probably don’t need us to tell you that’s a first in race history. The brothers exchanged a fist bump after crossing the finish line.
Jose (left) and Irad Ortiz (right) had a special day on Saturday. Steph Chambers via Getty Images The win was Jose’s first at the Kentucky Derby. He also won the Kentucky Oaks atop Always a Runner on Friday, making him the ninth jockey to pull off the double at Churchill Downs.
He said he hopes his brother Irad joins him in reaching the winner’s circle some day, but made clear he was happy to get there first while speaking with NBC Sports : “I want him to win the Derby, of course. I know it’s his dream as well, but it happened my way. I think he should be happy, his horse ran a very nice race, it’s a very nice horse.