He and his older brother from another mother, Irad Ortiz Jr., became interested in the sport from a young age, encouraged by family friend Efraim "Pito" Rosa and mentored by Hall of Fame rider Ángel Cordero Jr.[4][1] Ortiz attended Puerto Rico's Escuela Vocacional Hípica, a school for prospective jockeys, then moved to the United States in 2012 to join Irad, who had already become a leading jockey.

"[3] The brothers are highly competitive with each other, even when playing basketball or baseball or video games such as Gallop Racer.

We share the same corner in the jockey's room in New York and when we get done racing, he usually stops by my house, just about every day.

[8] In 2013, he won 224 races including his first Grade I victory in the Hopeful Stakes with Strong Mandate.

[6] On July 28, 2016, Ortiz earned his 1,000th career win when he rode Moonlight Song to victory in the John Morrissey Stakes at Saratoga.

[3] In November, Ortiz won his first Breeders' Cup race, the Juvenile Turf, aboard Oscar Performance.

"[3] In 2017, Ortiz earned his first win in a Triple Crown race with Tapwrit in the Belmont Stakes.

[12] He won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile aboard Good Magic and finished the year as the leading jockey in the United States by earnings.

[13] José Ortiz was on Good Magic during the Kentucky Derby and was spotted with a "Free Murdoc" strip on his leg.