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Irad Ortiz Jr. is Renegade's jockey at the Kentucky Derby.

Renegade’s jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr., will ride the saddle of the Kentucky Derby favorite with plenty of experience. Ortiz is a two-time Belmont Stakes winner but is still searching for his first Kentucky Derby victory.

Fans are often curious about how tall the typical Kentucky Derby jockey is as the sport prioritizes smaller athletes which allow the horses to run at their fastest. Ortiz is listed at 5-foot-3 and 112 pounds, per Equibase.

Renegade’s jockey is originally from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. Being a horse racing jockey may require being a smaller athlete, but the top performers in the sport can have a lucrative career.

Ortiz has earned $390 million over his career in more than 22,000 starts, per Equibase. Heading into the Kentucky Derby, Ortiz had already earned more than $11.5 million in 2026.

It is still a risky profession for obvious reasons, but Ortiz and other jockeys’ payouts depend on the race results. The purse for the 2026 Kentucky Derby is $5 million, with the winner earning $3.1 million.

This money is divided among the owner, trainer and jockey.

Each jockey’s payout is different but the industry standard is 10% of the purse, per Yahoo Sports. This means Ortiz would make an estimated $310,000 if Renegade wins the Kentucky Derby.

Here’s what you need to know about Renegade’s jockey.

Renegade’s Jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr., Is Married to Wife, Meliza Betancourt

Ortiz’s wife is Meliza Betancourt and the couple are proud parents. The couple met while Ortiz was in jockey school in Puerto Rico.

“Irad met his partner, Meliza Betancourt, seven years ago while he was in jockey school in Puerto Rico, making them the racetrack equivalent of high school sweethearts,” Saratoga Living’s Teresa Genaro wrote in a July 20, 2018, story titled, “Brothers José And Irad Ortiz Are Horse Racing Phenoms. Isn’t It Time Everybody Knew That?” “They have two daughters.”

It appears Ortiz and Betancourt now have three children based on the Instagram photos the jockey frequently posts on social media.

Renegade’s Owner Is Mike Repole While the Horse’s Trainer Is the Legendary Todd Pletcher

Renegade’s trainer is the famed Todd Pletcher while the owner is Mike Repole. The horse racing team will look to make history as Renegade would be the first pony to win the Kentucky Derby from the No. 1 post position in 40 years.

Repole purchased Renegade for $975,000 at the Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale, per Paulick Report’s Tom Pedulla,. The number now appears to be a bit of a bargain.

Ahead of the Kentucky Derby, Repole has threatened to file a lawsuit against The Jockey Club. Repole explained why he has no problem wearing the black hat in horse racing.

“I think I’m on a bit of a racing crusade right now,” Repole told Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wolken. “That makes me a little bit of a renegade.

“I named him a year and a half ago, not thinking we’d be here with the Derby favorite. But maybe that’s the sign of times to come. Maybe you need to be a little bit of a renegade,” Repole added.

“What are they going to do? Sue me? Fine me? Throw me out of the game? I’d be lucky if they did that. But I’m not gonna go away. I got in this to change the sport.”