Tag: Fev Rover (Ire)

A Classic Season for Castellano

ARCADIA, CA – As Javier Castellano gets ready to ride three mounts on Breeders' Cup Saturday, the recently turned 46-year-old is amidst one of the best years of his career. And it almost never happened.

A pair of Breeders' Cup wins at the 2019 Championships put an exclamation point on the Hall of Famer's eighth straight season with more than $20 million in earnings. But, the year 2020, like it was for so many, was more about overcoming adversity for the native of Venezuela.

Castellano was the first jockey to test positive for COVID-19–he wasn't symptomatic, thankfully–during the beginning of the pandemic in March and was on the sidelines again after undergoing hip surgery at the end of the year.

“It was tough, not just for myself, but for everybody in the world in 2020,” Castellano said. “I only missed three months. And it seemed like it was forever.”

Castellano returned to action in 2021, but wasn't exactly welcomed back with open arms. Competing in pound for pound the deepest jockey colony in the nation in New York, Castellano rode 105 winners that season, good for $9,804,024 in earnings. After going just 13-for-142 at the prestigious Saratoga meeting, Castellano's career was suddenly at a crossroads.

Javier Castellano entered the Hall of Fame in 2017 | Horsephotos

“I was devastated. I was ready to give up,” said Castellano, a winner of four straight Eclipse Awards as Outstanding Jockey between 2013-16. “I just came back from everything and people didn't give me an opportunity. One moment I thought, 'I think this is it. I can't keep doing what I'm doing.' I was really really depressed.”

He continued, “They didn't care about who you are or what you did in the past. It's amazing. I was a Hall of Fame rider, a four-time leading jockey in the nation in back-to-back years, had six Travers then, 12 Breeders' Cups and won more than 5,000 races. And it didn't mean anything. You have to prove yourself and that you belong.”

Castellano picked himself up off the mat and hired longtime former racing official P.J. Campo to handle his book. He began to right the ship with 163 victories in 2022. By comparison, Castellano rode a total of 212 winners combined the previous two years.

How did he power his way through?

“Mentally, I had to be strong,” said Castellano, a married father of three. “A lot of discipline and dedication. Do the homework every single day. Regroup and try to be very positive.”

The momentum began to build for Castellano after he won three races on Saratoga's opening day card that summer.

“In 2022, we started rolling a little bit in Saratoga,” Castellano said. “I also went out of town for the right people and won some races. I knock a little bit and the door began to open a little here and there.”

Castellano is no longer the one doing the knocking this year.

He put to bed an 0-for-15 mark on the first Saturday in May with a 15-1 upset aboard Mage (Good Magic) in the GI Kentucky Derby, and, just five weeks later, secured his first GI Belmont S. victory with Arcangelo (Arrogate). Castellano became the first jockey to win two Triple Crown races on two different horses in the same year since Calvin Borel did so in 2009. He's won 16 graded races so far this year, including seven at the top level.

“Thank God, I've been very blessed and very fortunate to have one of the best years of my career,” Castellano said. “It was a great achievement to win the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, two Triple Crown races in the same year. I was always missing something on my resume.”

With Castellano's two Classic winners on a collision course this summer, he stuck with the recently retired Arcangelo, who followed up with a convincing win in the GI Travers S., the rider's record seventh victory in the 'Mid-Summer Derby.' The gray, unfortunately, was scratched from the Breeders' Cup Classic–a race Castellano won aboard the sensational Ghostzapper in 2004–earlier this week after developing a foot issue.

Javier Castellano celebrates aboard Ghostzapper following the 2004 Classic | Horsephotos

“He gave me an opportunity to regroup in my career, and, in my life, and enjoy these beautiful moments with my family,” Castellano said.

As for Arcangelo missing the Classic and now off to begin his career at stud at Lane's End, he said, “This is hard, but one decision I fully support. Arcangelo is safe and sound and that's all I can really think about. He has given me so much and I'm so blessed to have been part of the team.”

Castellano's mounts on Saturday's Championship program at Santa Anita include: GI Beverly D. S. winner and E.P. Taylor S. winner Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf; GII American Turf S. winner and narrow GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. runner-up Webslinger (Constitution) in the GII Twilight Derby; and Time for Trouble (English Channel) in the 1 5/8-mile GII Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S.

“It could be a good example for anybody,” Castellano concluded. “You never give up. When you want something in life, you have to work for it. When you work for it, you get it.”

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Making Waves: Purple Patch For Godolphin

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Nations Pride in the Canadian International at Woodbine and two other graded wins for Godolphin colourbearers.

 

Nations Pride Adds Another Graded Win To His Resume

Autumn in North America is a rich seasonal hunting ground for Godolphin's European raiders, particularly those trained by Charlie Appleby, and Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) scooped Woodbine's GI Canadian International S. recently (video). The royal blue homebred had landed the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. and GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. last year.

Also a top-level winner in Germany, the 4-year-old colt is a half-brother to Crystal Of Time (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a weanling colt by Ghaiyyath (Ire), and he has a yearling full-sister. Their dam, the Oasis Dream (GB) mare Important Time (Ire), won at the listed level in Germany and is a daughter of Satwa Queen (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}), who won the G1 Prix de l'Opera. Australian standout Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and G1 Phoenix S. hero Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) are also in the family.

The best North American runner by Darley veteran Teofilo, Nations Pride is one of four stakes winners in that jurisdiction for the 19-year-old. Seventeen of his 27 runners have won in America (63%), including dual Grade II winner Amira's Prince (Ire).

Bold Act Another Graded Winner In The Royal Blue

Just a few days after Nations Pride won in Canada, Godolphin and Charlie Appleby celebrated another homebred graded winner, this time with New Approach (Ire) gelding Bold Act (Ire) in the GIII Sycamore S. at Keeneland (video).

Successful in the Listed Prix Nureyev in August, the multiple group-placed 3-year-old is out of the listed winner Dancing Sands (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who placed three times at the group level. His year-younger half-sister Dazzling Star (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) was third in the GI Natalma S., while Dancing Sands's latest pair are colts by Cracksman (GB) and Frankel (GB), respectively. G1 Futurity S. hero and sire Bakharoff (The Minstrel) is under the third dam.

The 13th winner from 23 runners (56%) in the U.S. for his Darley sire, Bold Act is New Approach's fourth black-type winner there. Both Ceisteach (Ire) and Messi (Ger) are Grade III scorers.

Lucky Girl Returns A Winner At Santa Anita

Already a dual American stakes winner, Lucky Girl (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) made it a hat trick for Panic Stable, LLC and trainer Phil D'Amato in the Swingtime S. at Santa Anita a few days ago (video).

Bred by Paul Hyland, the 4-year-old filly was originally a £19,000 yearling buy out of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale by Meadowview Stables. She did not meet her reserve when a £24,000 buy-back at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale in 2021, and duly made one start at Gowran Park for Helen Slattery and trainer Andrew Slattery, where she finished third. The four-time winning dam Abbey Angel (Ire) (Arcano {Ire})'s latest produce is a yearling colt by Kodi Bear (Ire) whose latest trip through the ring resulted in a 110,000gns buy-back during the Tattersall October Yearling Sale.

Former reverse shuttle stallion Exceed And Excel has sired an even 10 black-type winners from his 41 U.S. runners (24%). Of those 41, 22 have earned at least one victory (54%). The Darley stallion's American best are GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Outstrip (GB) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Mischief Magic (Ire).

 

Brant's No Nay Never Filly a New York Winner

Peter Brant and Chad Brown's Notinamillionyears (Ire) (No Nay Never) won at second asking during the Belmont at the Big A meeting earlier this week (video).

Bred by Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock, the daughter of Dancing Shoes (Ire) (Danehill) was acquired by BSW/Crow for $450,000 out of the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The winner is a half-sister to GII La Canada S. winner Striking Dancer (Smart Strike) and G2 Gran Premio del Jockey Club hero Raymond Tusk (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Emmaline (Affirmed), the winner's second dam, is a half-sister to American champion Bates Motel (Sir Ivor).

Coolmore stallion No Nay Never has sired 43 winners from 78 runners (55%) in the U.S. Breeders' Cup winner Meditate (Ire) is one of three graded winners, and he has nine stakes winners overall in the Land of the Free.

 

Sea The Stars Filly Graduates In California

Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners' Star Of The Night (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) won at Santa Anita this month (video). The Sunderland Holding-bred 3-year-old was making her second start for trainer Mark Glatt after a runner-up finish at Del Mar.

Out of the winning Simple Elegance (Street Cry {Ire}), Star Of The Night has juvenile half-brother by Gleneagles (Ire) and a yearling half-brother by the late Le Havre (Ire) who was picked up by Ross Doyle and Ciaran Murphy for €37,000 out of the recent Goffs Orby Book 2 Sale. Lackendarra Stables and Eddie Linehan bought the dark bay for €40,000 out of the 2021 Goffs Orby Sale, and sent her back through the ring at the 2022 Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale where she made 140,000gns on the bid of her current owners. Her dam is one of six winners out of the Pulpit mare Rutherienne, who landed the GI Del Mar Oaks.

The Aga Khan's Studs' Sea The Stars has 17 winners from 37 runners (46%) in the U.S. His sextet of stakes winners are led by GII Fort Marcy S. winner and GI Manhattan S. third Ottoman Fleet (GB).

Repeat Winners

Repeat Making Waves alumni have been in outstanding form in recent weeks, and the GI Beverly D. S. heroine Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) doubled her Grade I tally with a stalking score in the E. P. Taylor S. at Woodbine on Oct. 8 (video). Raced by Tracy Farmer, the Mark Casse pupil is pointing toward the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita in November.

Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was the latest Making Waves alum to display her abundant talent in the GII Sands Point S. as the Belmont at the Big A meeting continued on Saturday (video). The Godolphin homebred was winning her second graded race in a row for Charlie Appleby, after taking the GIII Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. last month.

Klaravich Stables' McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), best known as the winner of the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. in 2022, also claimed her second graded victory of the year in the GIII Waya S. earlier in October (video). The Chad Brown trainee won the GII Glens Falls S. at the Saratoga meeting in August.

 

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Half-Sister to Fev Rover Starts at Newcastle

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Insights features a half GI winner Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}).

19.00 Newcastle, Novice, £6,600, 2yo, f, 6fT
LEVERET (IRE) (Invincible Army {Ire}) is a half-sister to the recent GI Beverly D S. heroine Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}), whose three other group and graded-stakes wins include the G2 Prix du Calvados. Bred and owned by the Barrys' Manister House Stud, the Richard Fahey-trained newcomer has her work cut out against some experienced rivals who have already shown a smart level of form.

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Sod Dabbler Or Diver, Saturday’s Graded Stakes Runs Deep

The going sticks will get stuck and with the rails down or out, the Saturday graded stakes lineup trucks in with heaps of sod for your turf racing enjoyment.

Whether you are a dabbling duck or one that takes a deep dive, there is something for everyone as the Downs–Kentucky and Colonial–plus Woodbine Racetrack and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, all feature high-level grass action.

KENTUCKY DOWNS GRADED SIX PACK

The uniquely designed turf course at Kentucky Downs cards the most graded stakes this Saturday, which will lead off with the GIII Ladies Marathon S.

Going 1 5/16ths, look for MGSP Vergara (Noble Mission) to stalk the pace as she returns to the site where she won last year by a head in the Dueling Grounds Oaks. Standing in her way is GSW Personal Best (Tapit) who broke her maiden at last year's meet before going on to face graded company this spring at Gulfstream Park where the homebred won the GIII La Prevoyante S.

With no overwhelming favorite on the morning-line, expect the GII Franklin-Simpson S. to be an all-out war both on the tote and sprinting down the stretch. Playlist (Uncle Mo), making her first stakes start, will look to go on the offensive early versus the boys, but she will have to contend with Sweet Cherry Pie (Twirling Candy), who has never sampled turf, and GSW Mo Stash (Mo Town), who is cutting back for the first time in almost a year.

Playlist | Coady Photography

“I like to run fillies against colts in sprints,” said Playlist's trainer Wesley Ward. “I don't think it makes a big difference. If you look at the times in the 2-year-olds in training sales, the fillies are always faster as a group. I think they can compete against the colts every time.”

Moving right along, the GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf S. pits GISP and MGSP White Frost (Candy Ride {Arg}) against GSW and 'TDN Rising Star' New Year's Eve (Kitten's Joy). After a very solid first half, the former was second in the De La Rose S. Aug. 2 at Saratoga and will face many of those competitors in this spot, while the latter prepped ably by winning this race's preview at Ellis Park Aug. 6.

Back to the speedsters for the GII Turf S. for males, it is going to be a pleasure to see another bout between the top two finishers in Aug. 5 running of the GIII Troy S. at Saratoga. That slugfest upstate saw Cogburn (Not This Time) catch GSW Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) just before the wire. If this race wasn't tough enough, you will also find 'TDN Rising Star' and Woodbine GII Connaught Cup hero Dream Shake (Twirling Candy) looking to make it three wins in a row.

The GII Ladies Turf S. includes favorite MGSP Bay Storm (Kantharos), as she looks to add to her overall earnings after winning the prep for this race Aug. 5 at Ellis Park, and the experienced GSW and GISP Wakanaka (Ire) (Power {GB}).

Bringing up the graded rear going 12 furlongs will be the $1.7-million GII Turf Cup S., which offers a 'Win and You're In' opportunity into the GI Breeders' Cup Longines Turf. A pair of Brendan Walsh trainees in GSW Verstappen (War Front) and MGISW Santin (Distorted Humor) come calling, but they are going to have to be cognizant of GI United Nations S. victor Therapist (Freud) and GIII Dinner Party S. winner Never Explain (Street Sense).

“I wouldn't completely rule out him going back to dirt again at some point,” Walsh said of Santin. “But he's a heck of a turf horse … he ran a very good second in the Arlington Million. It was a fantastic run. He was up on the pace the whole way and was there to be shot at. And he held in there and ran a really, really good second. I feel he's doing really well coming into here. He got a mile and a quarter at Colonial. I don't see why he wouldn't get a mile and a half. He's a very relaxed horse, maybe a little too laid back if anything.”

KLARAVICH STABLEMATES TRADE BLOWS IN VIRGINIA DERBY

Program Trading | Sarah Andrew

On its closing day Saturday, Colonial Downs hosts the nine-furlong GIII Virginia Derby.

Klaravich Stables has a pair of Chad Brown trainees which pose a major threat to the rest of the field. Activist Investing (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was very sharp at this distance when he cleared the optional claiming ranks Aug. 13 at Saratoga in his lone race this year. He will do battle with GI Saratoga Derby star Program Trading (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) by attempting to relieve his speed-oriented stablemate of his perfect record.

Also present is Salute the Stars (Candy Ride {Arg}), winner of the Monmouth Park Pegasus S. June 17 and surprise longshot from the Aug. 12 GII Secretariat S. at Colonial, Gigante (Not This Time), who is trying to become the first Virginia-bred to win this race.

WOODBINE'S TURF ACE RETURNS

Not to be missed in the GII Canadian S. for older females is the return of last year's victoress Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutalfan {Ire}), who wired the field last out in the GI Beverly D Aug. 12 at Colonial. She will square off against the top three finishers from the GII Dance Smartly S. Aug. 20 at Woodbine, which includes Miss Dracarys (Malibu Moon).

“Javier [Castellano] and I were flying to Colonial Downs, and we were talking about the race [Beverly D],” said Fev Rover's trainer Mark Casse. “He said, 'There's no speed in this race.' I agreed and told him that she can go right to the lead. The nice thing about her, and Tepin [champion and dual Hall of Fame mare] was the same way, is that a great horse can bring their A-game no matter the situation. So, we went right to the lead, and it was over when that happened.”

Also on the graded docket is the GIII Singspiel S., which returns to 1 1/4 grass distance from two years ago. GSP Malibu Mambo (Point of Entry) could be the hot commodity after a sharp late surge against optional claimers in Toronto Aug. 12, but don't count out GSP Palazzi (Pioneerof the Nile). 

DEL MAR SPORTS LONE GRADED DIRT RACE

Julias Dream | Benoit

The GI Del Mar Debutante S., the only graded dirt race on Saturday, is sure to bring some attention with a capacity field of 14. First-crop sire Flameaway is well represented with 'TDN Rising Star' Julias Dream, who broke her maiden by 5 1/2 lengths over the turf at Del Mar Aug. 6. She will take on the top two finishers from the GIII Sorrento S. Aug. 12, Dreamfyre (Flameaway) and Benedetta (City of Light). The lineup also includes Chatalas (Gun Runner) and Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), who both broke their maidens at first asking in Solana Beach July 30 and Aug. 19, respectively.

It wouldn't be Del Mar's surf without the turf and this year's GII John Mabee S. might be remembered as a match between GII Yellow Ribbon H. wearer Closing Remarks (Vronsky) and MGSW Neige Blanche (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}). Still, no one should overlook trainer Phil D'Amato's offerings. After all, he is looking to edge out Bob Baffert for the training title, and both Oakhurst (Mr Speaker) and GSW Turnerloose (Nyquist) will try to help the cause as the Del Mar meet concludes Sunday with a pair of graded races, the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity and GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf S.

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