Javier Castellano | Horse Racing Free Tips

Gulfstream Park: Castellano Returns, Irad Ortiz Jr. Rides Five Winners; Jackpot Has $400,000 Guarantee On Thursday

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano returned to action Wednesday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., after sitting out for three months while rehabbing from surgery on his right leg.

The five-time Championship Meet titlist finished fourth aboard Sexy Dream in Race 9, a mile optional starter allowance for 3-year-old fillies that was taken off the turf. While the result may not have been what he would have likes, Castellano was more than happy to get back to riding horses in the afternoon.

“I'm every excited, very motivated,” Castellano said. “That was my first mount. We all are looking to win first time. It didn't work out, but we're looking at the big picture. We're looking to get fit, riding a lot of horses. I'm looking to work hard. Hopefully, I'll get a lot of support from the owners and trainers.”

A winner of 5,328 races and more than $354 million in purse earnings, Castellano had arthroscopic surgery to clean up some debris in his right leg, near the hip, Nov. 16 in New York. He went through physical therapy and returned to Florida earlier this month to start getting on horses.

Castellano is named on two horses Thursday – Todd Pletcher-trained Deemed Essential in Race 7, a maiden special weight on turf for 3-year-old fillies, and Graham Motion-trained All Come True in Race 10, a mile optional claiming allowance for older fillies and mares on turf.

Castellano won a record five consecutive Championship Meet riding titles at Gulfstream from 2011-12 through 2015-16. During that time, he was voted the Eclipse Award as champion jockey four times, from 2013-16.

Thursday's Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $400,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $400,000 Thursday at Gulfstream Park.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for a second racing day following Saturday's mandatory payout. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $4,130 Wednesday.

The jackpot pool is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

WHO'S HOT: Fresh off a natural grand slam Sunday, defending two-time Championship Meet titlist Irad Ortiz Jr. rode another five winners Wednesday, scoring aboard Cat Lady ($4.60) in Race 1, Jacohare ($13.80) in Race 2, American Matters ($7.60) in Race 5, Dem a Wonder ($4.60) in Race 6, and Subsidiary ($10.60) in Race 8.

Ortiz sits atop the jockey standings with 93 wins.

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‘I’m Ready To Go’: Castellano Returns To The Saddle On Wednesday At Gulfstream Park

Out of action since having leg surgery in mid-November, Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano is set to launch his comeback Wednesday, Feb. 17, at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Castellano, 43, is named aboard Jacks or Better Farm's 3-year-old homebred Sexy Dream, a half-sister to multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Jackson Bend, in Race 9, a starter/optional claimer for 3-year-old fillies going one mile on the grass.

Trained by Ralph Nicks, Sexy Dream will break from Post 10 in a field of 11. Castellano is represented by agent John Panagot.

“I'm really excited and looking forward to it,” Castellano said. “It's the first time that I've been off for so long, three months, but I'm ready to go. I feel 100 percent and I'm ready to get back to work.”

Castellano won a record five consecutive Championship Meet riding titles at Gulfstream from 2011-'12 through 2015-'16. During that time, he was voted the Eclipse Award as champion jockey four times, from 2013-'16.

“I'm very excited, especially to be at Gulfstream Park. It's a special place for me,” Castellano said. “It's my home and I love it. That's where I first started, in South Florida, to ride horses and hopefully I can get some good mounts and start getting some momentum.”

“I was able to get on some horses and then I had to stop to follow the protocol with the quarantine and everything,” he said. “But I feel good and ready and ready to go back to work.”

Castellano is named on two horses Thursday, Feb. 18 – Let's Go Stable's 3-year-old filly Deemed Essential in a maiden special weight for meet-leading trainer Todd Pletcher and Madaket Stables, Kent Spellman and Team Hanley's All Come True, a 4-year-old filly trained by Graham Motion.

“I can't wait,” Castellano said. “I am thankful for all the support from the trainers and owners.”

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Hall Of Famer Javier Castellano Planning Mid-February Return To The Saddle

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, out since mid-November following leg surgery, said he expects to resume riding the second week of February at Gulfstream Park.

Castellano, 43, won a record five consecutive Championship Meet riding titles at Gulfstream from 2011-12 through 2015-16. He had arthroscopic surgery to clean up some debris in his right leg, near the hip, Nov. 16 in New York, where he remains in recovery.

“I'm doing physical therapy right now and I feel really good. It's a process,” Castellano said. “I want to come back 100 percent. I could have come back two or three weeks earlier, but there's no point to rush. When I made the decision to do this I wanted to do it 100 percent right.

“I plan to come back in February. In the beginning of February I'm planning to start getting on some horses, and we're pointing for the second week to start riding at Gulfstream,” he added. “I'm looking forward to it.”

The timing of Castellano's return would have him available for two of Gulfstream's biggest races, both for 3-year-olds with Triple Crown aspirations – the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) Feb. 27 and the $750,000 Florida Derby (G1) March 27.

Castellano won the 2014 Florida Derby with Constitution and the 2017 Fountain of Youth with Gunnevera.

“We want to go to the Fountain of Youth,” he said. “The main goal is to go to the Fountain of Youth and ride the good races and the Florida Derby, that's the second goal. Hopefully we can pick something up and move forward.”

Castellano ended 2020 with 108 wins and more than $12.4 million in purse earnings from 640 mounts, boosting his career totals to 5,328 wins and a bankroll of nearly $355 million. He said the decision to have his surgery in late fall came with the future in mind.

“We're looking at the long term and just be patient, not rush back and ride too quick. Thank God, knock on wood I've never had any surgeries in the past,” Castellano said. “I made the decision because I wanted to take care of my body and be able to ride 10 more years. I feel great. This surgery is to prevent something for the future.

“I could have kept riding four, five, six years and it wouldn't have bothered me, but the doctors were saying that at the end of my career I'd have to have big surgery like a hip replacement or something like that. I didn't want to end my career like that,” he added. “This was able to take care of little issues and be able to move forward. I will be able to ride longer and when my career is over, I'll have no pain. I can play golf, I can walk, everything.”

Castellano had 23 wins and ranked eighth with $1.458 million in purse earnings during the 2019-2020 Championship Meet. The four-time Eclipse Award winner said he and his medical team have been pleased with his recovery.

“The first week [in Florida] I'm going to go see the doctor and make sure that they give me the OK to come back to ride, but the physical therapist and the doctor have been communicating all the time,” he said. “Every week I've been reaching my goals quicker and that's good news. I recovered really quick, faster than an average person because a jockey's life is all about doing exercises and eating well and taking care of your body. I think that helped me progress quicker.”

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Big Finish Nets Article Schiller Triumph For Therapist

Oak Bluff Stables' Therapist sat well off the pace and displayed a devastating turn-of-foot down the lane to secure a neck win in scoring his eighth stakes victory in Saturday's sixth running of the $100,000 Artie Schiller going one mile over the good inner turf at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Never worse than fourth in his last dozen starts, the New York-bred 5-year-old son of Freud notched his sixth stakes win against open company, scoring at such caliber in each of his years in training, dating back to his 2-year-old year in 2017, where he won the Laurel Futurity at Laurel Park and the Awad at Belmont Park.

In the money in all five of his starts this season, Therapist arrived at the Artie Schiller off a runner-up effort to graded stakes winner Somelikeithotbrown in the Mohawk on Oct. 24, part of Empire Showcase Day at Belmont Park.

Breaking from post 8 under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, Therapist was angled to the two-path at the back of the pack as New York-bred multiple restricted stakes winner Rinaldi led the field into the first turn through an opening quarter-mile in 24.43 seconds and the half in 48.50, with Grade 1-winner Valid Point tracking in second.

Castellano nudged his charge around the far turn racing five lengths behind Rinaldi, who maintained his advantage as the field hit the top of the stretch. Castellano angled Therapist four wide and found a seam in between runners and began making up significant ground. Rinaldi was then confronted by Chad Brown trainees Valid Point and Delaware in the final sixteenth, but Therapist's turn of foot was too good for them as he was first on the wire in the nick of time, stopping the clock in 1:37.16. Valid Point finished second, a head in front of Delaware.

Rounding out the field were Rinaldi, Clear Vision, Ninety One Assault, Hawkish and Ballagh Rocks.

Hembree and main track only entrants Backsideofthemoon, Sea Foam, Chilly In Charge and Compound It were scratched.

Returning $8.30 as the lukewarm favorite, Therapist upped his lifetime earnings to $653,345 through a record of 21-9-2-5, having won at five different tracks.

Trainer Christophe Clement, who also bred Therapist in partnership with the owner, expressed a strong sense of pride in conditioning such a consistent state-bred.

“He's the perfect advertisement for the New York bred program; he's very consistent and can win at a high level against open company,” Clement said. “I think he's a very honest horse. He's a lovely horse and I'm lucky to train him. I'm the co-breeder, alongside the owner, Mr. Richard Leahy [of Oak Bluff Sables].”

Castellano climbed aboard Therapist for the first time on Saturday afternoon, but said that he had been observing the horse from afar.

“I've been watching this horse and following his races,” Castellano said. “He's the type of horse that likes to come from behind and can't be too close to the pace or he'll hang. Today, it worked out perfect. I had an outside post and saved all the ground and he finished really strong. I like the way he finished today.”

Patience was key for Castellano, who said the strategy was to save ground and roll home late.

“This time, I took my time,” Castellano said. “A few horses had the speed, so I had to do the best I could to save ground on the first turn. Even out of the last turn, I was feeling really good and was watching [and waiting] for the hole. It paid off.”

Clement did not rule out one more 2020 start for Therapist.

“Therapist has been very good to us over the years. He might go for one more race this year or he could wait until next year,” Clement said. “I haven't decided yet, but we'll see how he comes out of the race.”

Live racing resumes on Sunday at the Big A with a 10-race card highlighted by the $100,000 Winter Memories for 3-year-old fillies in Race 9 at 3:47 p.m. Eastern and the $100,00 Key Cents for New York-bred juvenile fillies going six furlongs in Race 2 at 12:22 p.m. First post is 11:50 a.m.

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