MLB Pitcher, Kentucky Derby Stars Linked To Illegal Cockfighting
ZUMAPRESS. com / MEGA Top jockey brothers Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr. are facing mounting scrutiny just days before the Preakness Stakes after photos and videos surfaced allegedly linking them to illegal cockfighting events in Puerto Rico.
The brothers, who recently battled it out in a dramatic finish at the Kentucky Derby , are now at the center of a growing controversy after social media posts appeared to connect them to cockfighting arenas on the island. Major League Baseball pitcher Edwin Díaz has also reportedly been tied to similar events. Kentucky Derby Brothers Allegedly Connected To Cockfighting Events Canva Stock Images Jose Ortiz, 32, and Irad Ortiz Jr.
, 33, are among horse racing’s biggest names and are expected to continue competing during Triple Crown season. However, according to a new report , social media photos appear to place the brothers inside cockfighting arenas in Puerto Rico, where cockfighting has been federally banned since 2019. One Facebook photo reportedly posted in January allegedly shows the Ortiz brothers holding what appear to be roosters while standing in the pit of a cockfighting arena.
The report states the image was posted by Oscar Calderon, a man described online as a cockfighter and breeder of fighting roosters, often called gamecocks. Another social media advertisement reportedly promoted Jose and Irad as participants in a cockfighting tournament known as the “Gran Campeón Caribeño,” or Caribbean Grand Champion. “Meet the Participants …,” translated text reportedly read before describing the brothers as elite horse racers who also “harbor a passion for fighting cocks.
” The ad reportedly called it an “honor” to have the brothers competing in the venue Video Appears To Show Ortiz Brothers Collecting Money Canva Stock Images The report also pointed to a video posted on X in late 2025 that allegedly appears to show the Ortiz brothers collecting money from the betting crowd inside Club Gallistico de Naguabo, a cockfighting facility in Puerto Rico. Additional photos allegedly showed the brothers posing at the same venue in images posted to Instagram with location tags matching the arena featured in the video. The timing of the allegations has drawn even more attention, given the brothers’ recent spotlight moment at Churchill Downs, where they competed against one another in a thrilling Kentucky Derby finish just weeks ago.
Continue to the original source for the full article.