Stand down, no shot
In my previous column, I asked a simple, uncomfortable question: “It’s all about the horse, but what about the cock?” At the time, I was looking at a grainy, unverified video and hoping—for the sake of the sport—that it was a deepfake. I argued then that if a leading jockey is participating in cockfighting, it isn’t just a “bad look”—it’s a moral, ethical, and legal disaster that exposes the industry’s animal welfare talk as performative.
Since then, the story has exploded. PETA has officially called on the Eclipse Awards to ban Irad and Jose Ortiz after a video surfaced showing them “working the ring” and taking cash at a cockfight in Puerto Rico. Thoroughbred Daily News (TDN) picked up the story, reporting that while PETA claims 100% certainty regarding the brothers’ identity, their agent has offered “no comment”. Meanwhile, the response from some in the racing community has been, quite frankly, appalling.
The “Culture” Defense: A Rationalization for Brutality
The comments on social media are a masterclass in moral compartmentalization. We see well-known figures like Carlo Vaccarezza dismissing the reports as “BS” simply because they come from PETA. Others hide behind the “culture” argument, claiming that because it’s “tradition” in Puerto Rico, it shouldn’t matter here.
Let’s be clear: Culture is not a suicide pact for your conscience. When someone hides behind the word “culture” to defend cockfighting, they aren’t defending heritage; they are excusing cruelty. Breeding animals to mutilate each other for entertainment reflects a tolerance for suffering that is the definition of moral stagnation. History is littered with “traditions” that society eventually grew a conscience to abandon:
- Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Often justified as “purity” or “tradition,” yet recognized internationally as a human rights violation.
- Stoning and Honor Killings: Still practiced in small pockets under the guise of customary law, yet challenged globally as premeditated murder and trauma.
- Child Marriage: Framed as poverty mitigation or protection, but leading to lifelong health risks and dependency.
- Violent Animal Blood Sports: Like cockfighting, bullfighting or dogfighting, these are increasingly rejected as societies reassess cruelty for entertainment.
The fact that a practice is historical does not mean it deserves to continue. Calling torture “culture” doesn’t elevate the act; it merely exposes the character of the person defending it.
The Intellectual Trap: The Messenger vs. The Message
The racing world has a reflexive, visceral hatred for PETA. It’s understandable—PETA often misrepresents data and racing executives and fans believe their end goal is the abolition of the sport. But if you automatically reject everything they say, you fall into an intellectual trap. You end up defending the indefensible simply because you don’t like who is pointing it out.
- Truth doesn’t change jerseys. If a trainer abuses medication or a licensee participates in animal torture, the facts are the facts, regardless of who reports them. I’m not talking about miniscule overages, I am talking about abuse. There is a difference.
- The “Grown-Up” Position: We can acknowledge that PETA is a hostile messenger while admitting that in this specific instance, the message is grounded in reality.
- Selective Empathy: You cannot claim to be “all about the horse” and then shrug at a rooster being forced to fight with razor-sharp blades strapped to its feet. Animal welfare is a principle, not a PR slogan.
A Failure of Leadership and Integrity
The legal reality is also non-negotiable. Cockfighting is a federal crime in all U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, under the Animal Welfare Act. The Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld this ban, rejecting claims that it violates cultural rights. For a licensed participant in a regulated gambling industry to be seen handling cash in an illegal, underground gambling ring is a massive integrity failure.
If the industry stays silent, or hides behind HISA’s current claim that it lacks jurisdiction because the act didn’t happen on a “covered racetrack,” we are telling the world that our animal welfare standards are worth absolutely nothing.
The Path to Accountability: A Call to Action
The industry can no longer afford the “no comment” strategy. To move from performative welfare to genuine integrity, the following steps must be taken immediately:
- For the Eclipse Award Steering Committee:
- Institute a Morality and Integrity Clause: Establish clear eligibility requirements that disqualify any nominee whose conduct is detrimental to the best interests of racing.
- Immediate Suspension of Eligibility: Bar Irad and Jose Ortiz from future “Outstanding Jockey” nominations until a full, transparent investigation into the 2025 video is completed and the results are made public. Once done, if indeed they engaged in this deplorable act, give them the option to address it, and then depending on their actions not words reinstate them. Everyone deserves a chance to see the error of their ways and mistakes.
- For Racing Jurisdictions and State Commissions:
- Expand the Definition of “Conduct Detrimental to Racing”: Jurisdictions must codify that participation in animal fighting—regardless of location—is grounds for immediate license suspension or revocation. How this has not been done already speaks to the incompetence of the leaders of the industry.
- Reciprocity and Federal Alignment: State boards should exercise their power to investigate off-track felony conduct, recognizing that federal law makes attending a cockfight a crime in all U.S. jurisdictions.
- For the NTRA and HISA:
- Close the Jurisdictional Loophole: HISA must reassess its stance on “off-track” conduct. If a jockey’s license is predicated on the humane treatment of animals, their participation in a blood sport is directly relevant to their fitness to ride.
- Acknowledge and Investigate: Stop hiding behind the “unverified” label. Use forensic experts to confirm the video’s authenticity and be transparent with the outcome.
Racing doesn’t survive by pretending it’s perfect. It survives by proving it can self-correct faster than its critics can weaponize its flaws. We know better now. It’s time to act like it.
We all know how talented and what great riders Irad and Jose are. We also know how wonderful they “can be” for the game. I’m not writing this to hurt them. To the contrary, I’m writing it to help them and the sport I love. Act accordingly.
