The dream of a traditional Triple Crown winner vanished the moment Golden Tempo’s camp announced the colt would skip the Preakness Stakes. For the purists, the disappointment is palpable; the sport is always searching for that rare, elusive animal capable of sweeping the three most grueling races in American racing. Trainer Cherie DeVaux and her ownership group made the pragmatic choice, electing to prioritize recovery for the Derby champion and targeting a return in June for the Belmont Stakes.
But while the focus on a single horse has faded, a different, perhaps more intriguing, historical pursuit has taken center stage. The racing world now turns its attention to Jose Ortiz. While Golden Tempo may be resting, Ortiz is still very much in the saddle, and he finds himself on the precipice of a feat that has never been achieved in the century-plus history of the Triple Crown.
Ortiz is chasing a “Jockey’s Triple Crown” in a single season—winning the Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont aboard three different horses. Having already secured the Kentucky Derby trophy with Golden Tempo, Ortiz heads to Baltimore with a chance to keep a unique piece of history alive. If he can guide his Preakness mount to victory, he will move one step closer to a milestone that transcends the traditional narrative of the series.
A Career Built for This Moment
This isn’t a sudden stroke of luck for Ortiz; it is the culmination of a career defined by precision and versatility. To understand why this pursuit is possible, one must look at Ortiz’s resume. He has already tasted victory in each of the three jewels across different years: he captured the Belmont Stakes in 2017 with Tapwrit and the Preakness Stakes in 2022 aboard Early Voting.
The recent triumph at Churchill Downs was more than just a win; it was a breakthrough. Ortiz’s dramatic come-from-behind performance not only earned him his first Derby victory but also etched Cherie DeVaux into the record books as the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner. It was a moment of shared history that underscored the evolving landscape of the sport.
Now, the focus shifts to the Preakness, where Ortiz will ride Chip Honcho. While the colt lacks the immediate celebrity of Golden Tempo, he possesses a blue-collar consistency that makes him a dangerous contender at Laurel.
The Case for Chip Honcho
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Chip Honcho has spent the spring quietly building a case for his candidacy. A son of Connect, the colt has a proven track record of facing top-tier competition, particularly during a rigorous Louisiana prep season.
His resume reveals a horse that knows how to compete when the pressure mounts. He won the Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds and has consistently run against the best of his crop. His history with Golden Tempo is particularly telling: he finished fourth behind him in the Lecomte Stakes, outperformed him to take second in the Fasig-Tipton Risen Star, and finished fifth in the Louisiana Derby where Golden Tempo placed third.
These margins suggest that on a different day or a different surface, Chip Honcho is more than capable of winning. The chemistry between horse and rider is already established. Ortiz rode Chip Honcho to his maiden victory at Churchill Downs last autumn, creating a bond of trust that Asmussen cited as a primary reason for the mount.
“He’s familiar with the horse,” Asmussen noted during the finalization of the mount. “Just through consistently working with Jose over the winter and stuff, you’re always discussing races and racehorses. It was his belief in Golden Tempo that proved true.”
The Weight of History
To appreciate the rarity of Ortiz’s position, one must look at the lean list of jockeys who have navigated the Triple Crown gauntlet. The history of the series is dominated by names like Eddie Arcaro, the only rider to guide two different Triple Crown winners (Whirlaway in 1941 and Citation in 1948). However, the specific feat Ortiz is chasing—winning all three in one calendar year on different mounts—remains unclaimed.
| Jockey | Horse | Year | Race Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jose Ortiz | Golden Tempo | 2026 | Kentucky Derby |
| Jose Ortiz | Early Voting | 2022 | Preakness Stakes |
| Jose Ortiz | Tapwrit | 2017 | Belmont Stakes |
The modern era of racing rarely allows for this scenario. Traditionally, the Derby winner is the presumptive favorite for the Preakness, and jockeys typically stay with the winning horse. When a Derby winner skips the second leg, it creates a vacuum that allows a rider to potentially “collect” wins across the series.
This shift is partly due to a growing debate within the industry regarding the Triple Crown schedule. Many trainers now argue that the five-week gap between the Derby and the Preakness is insufficient for recovery, especially for horses that put forth an exhaustive effort in Louisville. This philosophy was evident in this year’s field; reports indicate that of the 18 horses who ran in the Derby, only the third-place finisher, Ocelli, is expected to make the trip to Maryland.
The Looming Dilemma
Should Chip Honcho capture the Preakness, Ortiz will find himself facing one of the most complex professional dilemmas in the sport’s history. If Golden Tempo returns for the Belmont Stakes in June, Ortiz will be forced to choose between two paths.
On one hand, there is the loyalty to Golden Tempo, the horse that provided him with his career-defining Derby win and helped a female trainer break a historic glass ceiling. On the other, there is the opportunity to complete a Triple Crown sweep on different horses—a feat that would cement his name alongside Arcaro and Secretariat in the annals of racing lore.
For now, however, the calculations are simpler. The focus is on the dirt at Laurel and the immediate goal of a victory in Baltimore. The history books are open, and for the first time in a long time, the story of the Triple Crown isn’t just about the horse—it’s about the man in the irons.
The racing world now awaits the official starting gate at the Preakness Stakes, where the first chapter of this potential historic sweep will be written. Official entries and final scratches will be confirmed by the stewards in the days leading up to the race.
Do you think Jose Ortiz can pull off this unprecedented feat? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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