Javier Castellano | Horse Racing Free Tips

Simplification Keeps the Ball Rolling for Not This Time

Simplification (Not This Time) became the 17th stakes winner and third in the last six days for his in-form sire with a convincing victory in this first step on the road to the GI Florida Derby and–perhaps–beyond.

An even fourth on his 5 1/2-furlong debut on the synthetic track Oct. 1, the bay overwhelmed a group of Florida-bred maidens by 16 3/4 lengths Oct. 23, good for a 92 Beyer. He couldn't put them back to back, faltering to be third at long odds-on Nov. 13, but had his fair share of supporters Saturday.

Away without incident, Simplification was part of the early scramble for the lead and assume command outright hooking up with the course proper after an opening quarter of :23.70. Well rated through the middle fractions while traveling nicely for Javier Castellano, the second betting choice was a bit late swapping his leads in upper stretch and lengthened away in the final eighth of a mile before galloping out strongly into the turn.

“I told everyone, these are good horses but I thought the more distance would be better for my horse,” winning trainer Antonio Sano said. “When the horse ran six furlongs for the first time, he won easy, but that was a maiden special weight. The next race the horse was not ready. He did not work every day because [we had] the option to sell the horse. The horse was not sold. I told the owner, we'll enter Jan. 1 for one mile. Castellano worked the horse. He's a special horse, a very good horse.”

France Weiner, who also bred 2005 GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Closing Argument (Successful Appeal) with her husband Irwin, acquired Simply Confection for $80,000 carrying this colt in utero at Keeneland November in 2018. Simplification, whose second dam was a full-sister to champion Ashado, has a yearling half-sister by Mendelssohn that RNAd for $190,000 at FTSAUG last summer and a yearling filly by Audible. The mare is due to Union Rags. The winner is bred on the reverse cross of leading freshman sire Gun Runner.

MUCHO MACHO MAN S., $150,000, Gulfstream, 1-1, 3yo, 1m, 1:35.04, ft.
1–SIMPLIFICATION, 118, c, 3, by Not This Time
1st Dam: Simply Confection (SP, $124,688), by Candy Ride (Arg)
2nd Dam: Ballado's Halo, by Saint Ballado
3rd Dam: Goulash, by Mari's Book
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($50,000 RNA Wlg '19 KEENOV). O-Tami Bobo; B-France & Irwin J Weiner (FL); T-Antonio Sano; J-Javier Castellano. $92,070. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $125,270.
2–Strike Hard, 120, c, 3, Flashback–Coco's Sweetie, by Tenpins. 1ST BLACK TYPE. ($3,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT; $25,000 2yo '21 OBSMAR). O-Miracle's International Trading Inc; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc (KY); T-Matthew J Williams. $29,700.
3–Mr Rum Runner, 118, c, 3, Uncaptured–Jitterbug Blues, by Pleasant Tap. ($17,000 RNA 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Lanes Mark Racing Stable & Danny J Pate; B-J F Webb (FL); T-Patrick L Biancone. $14,850.
Margins: 4, 7 1/4, NK. Odds: 4.20, 0.80, 22.00.
Also Ran: Graphic Detail, Sport Pepper, Skippylongstocking.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Lightening Larry, Kathleen O. Record Gulfstream Sprint Stakes Victories

Lea Farms' Lightening Larry, second in back-to-back stakes to end his juvenile campaign, turned away previously undefeated favorite Of a Revolution at the top of the stretch and sprinted clear to a front-running half-length triumph in the $100,000 Limehouse Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The fifth running of the six-furlong Limehouse and the seventh renewal of the $100,000 Cash Run for fillies were among five stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds worth $550,000 in purses on a New Year's Day holiday program headlined by the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man.

Lightening Larry ($8.60) broke alertly and quickly established command under regular rider Romero Maragh, going the opening quarter-mile in 21.75 seconds pressed by Concrete Glory with Of a Revolution settled in fourth on the inside. Maragh remained unmoved as Of a Revolution tipped out to launch a bid leaving the far turn.

“He was just sitting on him, so I felt pretty good turning for home because he hadn't asked him at all. When he did ask him, he responded,” winning trainer Jeff Engler said. “This horse just keeps getting better.”

Of a Revolution, a winner of both his 2-year-old starts, had the length of the stretch to get by but couldn't reel in Lightening Larry, who ran five furlongs in 56.59 before finishing up in a sharp 1:09.40 over a fast main track.

“I didn't expect to be in front, honestly. I thought [Bueno Bueno] would break on top, but we broke so sharp and he just got out there comfortable and just kicked on, which was really nice,” Engler said. “He's a super nice colt.”

Of a Revolution was a clear second, with O Captain, stakes winning filly Last Leaf, Concrete Glory and Bueno Bueno completing the order of finish.

By Uncaptured, the Sovereign Award winner as Canada's champion 2-year-old and Horse of the Year in 2012, Lightening Larry now has three wins and three seconds in seven lifetime starts. He ran second to subsequent Remington Springboard Mile winner Make It Big in the seven-furlong Juvenile Sprint Oct. 30 at Gulfstream and most recently the six-furlong Inaugural Dec. 4 at Tampa Bay Downs.

“He's a grinder. He's a blue-collar horse that just goes out there and tries his heart out every time,” Engler said. “He lays it all on the line, and when he broke sharp I knew we were in a good spot.”

Engler said he has not settled on a next start for Lightening Larry. Upcoming dirt sprints for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream include the seven-furlong Claiborne Swale (G3) Feb. 5 and six-furlong Hutcheson March 19.

“We'll just see how he comes out of it and pick something from there,” Engler said.

Kathleen O. Powers Home a Winner in $100,000 Cash Run
Winngate Stables' Kathleen O., in just her second career race, overcame a poor start to sweep past horses on the far turn and power through the stretch to a 8 ½-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 Cash Run at Gulfstream Park.

Handled by the Hall of Fame combination of jockey Javier Castellano and trainer Shug McGaughey, Kathleen O. ($6) completed about one mile in 1:35.97 over a fast main track to earn her second victory in as many tries. She raced once at 2, rallying from last for a head maiden special weight triumph in the slop Nov. 12 at Aqueduct.

“I was hoping she'd break better but she did that the first time. She didn't break that well and it takes her a few strides to get herself up underneath her,” McGaughey said. “Then when she does, [Castellano] said she was there and in a good flow. She got to horses in a hurry and finished up well, so I was very pleased with her. I think she's got a nice future in front of her.”

Breaking from Post 2 in a field of seven under Castellano, also aboard for her debut, Kathleen O. got shuffled back out of the gate and trailed the field as Mi Negrita led the group through splits of 22.74 and 44.94 seconds. Castellano began to let Kathleen O. roll in the clear three wide and she quickly began picking up horses, taking over the top spot from Mi Negrita once straightened for home.

“She has to come from behind. She showed first time in New York at Aqueduct on a sloppy track,” Castellano said. “I don't want to take that away because she doesn't want to be close to the pace. I let her do what she wants. I think Shug he did a great job with the horse. I think she's going to be a really good filly.”

Mi Negrita was a distant but determined second, followed by Fast and Flirty, Queen Camilla, Freccia d'Argento, Jumeirah and Surreal Fantasy.

“I think we've got a lot to look forward to,” McGaughey said. “I'm very pleased with the way she's come along and the way she ran today, and her maturity level. I was just saying to [my wife] Alison, think of what she's going to look like in a year from now. She's always been tall and she's still filling out.”

Kathleen O. is the first horse for Winngate's Patrick Kearney, a Chicago native who spent $275,000 for the dark bay or brown daughter of Upstart, millionaire winner of the 2015 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream. Kearney also has a 3-year-old Noble Mission colt named Cloudy, who went 0-for-2 in 2021.

“They're some people I've known for a while. I play golf with him and he kind of got to asking some questions last winter. I didn't know exactly where he was coming from, but then we ended up buying two horses. One of them is on the farm now but he'll be back, and this filly,” McGaughey said. “This is their first horse, so that worked out pretty good for them.”

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‘I Just Need The Opportunity’: Determined Castellano Making Gulfstream Winter Home Again

Five winters have passed since his reign as the Championship Meet's dominant rider came to an end, but Hall of Famer Javier Castellano still comes to South Florida with the same level of enthusiasm.

This year, he also comes with a message.

“I need to have the opportunity and that's what I'm looking for: building the relationship with the trainers and hoping they give me the opportunity and they support me a little bit,” Castellano said. “I know how to do this. I know how to win races. I know how to get it done. I just need the opportunity from the trainers and I'm not going to let them down.”

No one won more races at Gulfstream Park than Castellano during a five-year span between 2011-12 and 2015-16, when he led the jockey standings with an average of 114 wins and set a then-record 132 in 2013-14. The mark has been surpassed twice since, by Luis Saez (137) in 2017-18 and Irad Ortiz Jr. (140) last year.

Besides Castellano, only three other riders have led the jockey standings as many as three consecutive years – Ortiz (2018-19 to 2020-21), Jorge Chavez (1999-2001) and Jeff Fell (1977-79). Ortiz will be back this year looking to make it four straight.

“I'm very excited. I feel like Gulfstream is my home. I've had a lot of success at Gulfstream,” Castellano, 44, said. “Five titles in a row is a great achievement. I'm very lucky and fortunate to be in that spot.”

Castellano got off to a late start at last winter's Championship Meet after having arthroscopic surgery to clean up some debris in his right leg, near the hip, last November. He didn't ride between Nov. 15 at Aqueduct and his Feb. 17 return at Gulfstream, finishing with 15 wins and $599,560 in purses from just 66 mounts. Among his victories was the March 27 Ghostzapper (G3) aboard Eye of a Jedi, a race named for the Hall of Fame horse that helped launch Castellano's career to new heights.

“It took a while to recover. That's what they predicted. The doctor told me I had to be out for three or four months. I was out three months and a half and came back to ride late at Gulfstream,” Castellano said. “It's been a long year for myself. Thank God I still win a lot of races … and I had a couple of Grade 1 winners, but not competitive with past years for me. I think it's partly the momentum [after] the surgery, building up a little bit of my business again.”

Castellano gave brief consideration to staying in New York for the winter, but ultimately decided to follow the blueprint that has proven successful for many years.

“I feel like that's the best way to do it. Thinking about more in the future, building my business and my relationship with trainers and look toward the spring and the summer and those big races,” Castellano said. “The only way you can build a relationship [and] be loyal with them is to go with the flow with the horses. When the horses go to Florida, I want to follow the horses and hopefully those maiden races help get the momentum building [and] the relationship with those trainers.

“I think that's the best way to go. Why do I need to change something that's been working for many years for myself?” he added. “I thought about it and I made my mind up that that's the way to go, that it's supposed to be like that. Go to Florida and ride the good horses.”

South Florida is where Castellano first landed when he came to the U.S. in 1997 and rode his first domestic winner before moving to the New York circuit in 2001. In the midst of his Eclipse run he set single-season career highs of 362 wins in 2013 and a then-record $28.1 million in purse earnings in 2015.

One new wrinkle at the Championship Meet is the addition of all-weather Tapeta to the dirt and turf courses, making Gulfstream the only track in North America to race on three different surfaces.

“I'm excited because we have a new surface with the [all-weather] track. It's an opportunity for those horses to develop and I think I have more options,” Castellano said. “In New York, unfortunately, in the winter, we don't have turf racing and we don't have synthetic. We have only one dimension and it's racing on the dirt, and you don't know how the weather's going to be. They only race four days a week.

“Hopefully we can find a nice 3-year-old to have for the year,” he added. ““I'm looking forward big time for this winter at Gulfstream. Gulfstream is amazing because that's where I started riding horses when I first came to this country. It opened the door for me. It gave me the opportunity and look where I am now more than 20 years later.”

Castellano has won the Preakness (G1) twice, the Travers (G1) a record six times and 12 Breeders' Cup races. He (2013-16) and fellow Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey (2000-03) are the only jockeys to win four consecutive Eclipse Awards as champion rider. Castellano ranks second all-time with more than $364 million in purses earned and has won more than 5,400 races.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017, Castellano owns 463 career graded-stakes victories. Nine of them have come this year, including the Acorn (G1) and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1).

“You always have to compete and you always have to work hard. I don't take anything for granted. Unfortunately I had a bump in the road in my career with the surgery but I've put it behind me. I feel 100 percent. The reason I did the surgery is because I want to extend my career. I want to ride more years ahead and the only way I can do that is to refresh my body and take care of my body. I'm looking ahead to another five, six, seven years, maybe 10. Who knows?” Castellano said. “I love this game and I love to keep doing what I'm doing. I love racing and I'm trying to enjoy it.”

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Velazquez, Smith Re-Elected to Jockeys’ Guild

Hall of Fame riders John Velazquez and Mike Smith were re-elected as co-chairmen at the Jockeys' Guild's annual meeting, which was held virtually Dec. 7. The riders in attendance also re-elected Javier Castellano and Julien Leparoux, along with newly elected Quarter Horse jockey James Flores, as vice-chairs; Joel Campbell as treasurer; and Rodney Prescott as secretary. In addition, Alex Birzer, Joe Bravo, and Drayden Van Dyke were re-elected to the board of directors.

The members reviewed 2021 financials and the 2022 budget and had a variety of speakers including Senator Damon Thayer (KY-R); Dr. David Lambert B.V.Sc. (Hons.), M.R.C.V.S, president and founder of Equine Analysis; Ann McGovern, director of Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA)'s Racetrack Safety standing committee; and Nancy LaSala, Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) president, as well as PDJF board member Paul Braverman.

The Jockeys' Guild Senate members voted to adopt a new policy, whereby winning Jockeys' Guild members of races with purses over $70,000 will contribute 0.005% of their earnings, capped at $200, to the PDJF Riders Up initiative. This would be a separate program from the “one dollar program” that is already in place and would continue to be offered at the tracks that do not offer purses of $70,000 or more.

For more information, visit the Guild's website.

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