The world of professional sports is no stranger to controversy, and this week, some of horse racing's biggest names find themselves in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Just weeks after their electrifying duel at the Kentucky Derby, brothers Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr.—two of the most accomplished jockeys in the sport—are facing serious allegations tied to illegal cockfighting in their native Puerto Rico.

Set to ride in the Preakness Stakes on May 16, the Ortiz brothers are now under scrutiny after photos surfaced on social media linking them to the banned practice. The images, uncovered by USA TODAY Sports, appear to show the 32-year-old Jose and 33-year-old Irad collecting money from a betting crowd at Club Gallistico de Naguabo, a cockfighting venue on the island. These photos come on the heels of a video posted to X nearly six months ago that allegedly captured the brothers in a similar scene.

But the Ortiz brothers aren't the only prominent Puerto Rican athletes caught up in the controversy. Edwin Díaz, a three-time MLB All-Star pitcher now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has also been linked to cockfighting events. Social media posts from February show Díaz in his Dodgers uniform alongside ads promoting cockfighting tournaments. One translated advertisement reads: "The Puerto Rico Cockfighting Club invites all enthusiasts to a special match and a grand tribute to one of our island’s greatest sources of pride: A Tribute to the Puerto Rican Star and Cockfighter Edwin 'Sugar' Díaz."

Puerto Rico's largest newspaper, El Nuevo Día, further fueled the fire with a March 10 story featuring a photo of Díaz standing in a cockfighting pit. In the article, Díaz is quoted as saying, "It’s a pastime I’ve followed since I was a child. It’s legal in Puerto Rico, thank God. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here."

Here's where things get complicated: While cockfighting has deep cultural roots in Puerto Rico—dating back 400 years, according to local authorities and residents—a federal ban took effect across all U.S. states and territories in 2019. That means the practice is now illegal everywhere under U.S. jurisdiction, including Puerto Rico. Participants face up to five years in prison and fines, yet the fights continue on the island, often with open defiance of the law.

For fans of the Ortiz brothers and Díaz, this is a jarring reminder that even our favorite athletes can find themselves on the wrong side of the law. As the Preakness approaches, all eyes will be on the jockeys—not just for their performance on the track, but for how they navigate this brewing storm off it.