jesus castanon | Horse Racing Free Tips

Weekly Rulings – Apr. 26 – May 2

Apr. 26 – May 2

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

CALIFORNIA

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 05/01/2022
Licensee: Victor Espinoza, jockey
Penalty: $1,500 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Jockey Victor Espinoza is fined $1,500 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop–more than six times–second offense in the last 60 days) during the eleventh race (Charlie Whittingham Stakes) at Santa Anita Park on April 30, 2022.

FLORIDA
The following was reported on the Association for Racing Commissioners International's recent rulings website (hence the reporting delay).

Track: Gulfstream Park
Date: 03/15/2022
Licensee: Gerald Brooks, trainer
Penalty: $1,000 fine
Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: FINAL ORDER # 2022-001778 – f.s. 550.2415 VIOLATION = XYLAZINE. $1000 FINE IMPOSED AND DUE 4/14/22. “REGAL CHANT”

Track: Gulfstream Park
Date: 04/14/2022
Licensee: Gerald Brooks, trainer
Penalty: N/A
Violation: Appeal of medication violation
Explainer: RE: 2022-GP-20 – Appeal Submitted 4/14/2022 – NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL filed with First DCA.

NEW YORK

Track: Belmont Park
Date: 04/28/2022
Licensee: Keith Doleshel, trainer
Penalty: $2,000 fine
Violation: Unauthorized participation of horse
Explainer: Mr. Keith Doleshel is hereby fined the sum of two thousand ($2,000) dollars for allowing the unauthorized participation of Horse (Soaring Mist) on February 19th 2022 race 9 and again on March 25th 2022 race 1.

Track: Belmont Park
Date: 04/28/2022
Licensee: Michael Miceli, owner-trainer-exercise rider
Penalty: Thirty-day suspension and $2,500 fine
Violation: Joint injection too close to a race, according to the DRF
Explainer: Mr. Michael Miceli is hereby suspended thirty (30) calendar days May 8th 2022 through June 6th 2022 inclusive and fined the sum of two thousand five hundred ($2,500) dollars, this for failing to follow New York State Gaming Commission code rules and regulations pertaining to Horse Cover Photo which raced on March 13th 2022. The above matter has been referred to the commission. Ordered that during your period of suspension , you shall not directly or indirectly participate in New York State pari-mutuel horse racing. You are denied the privilages and use of the grounds for all racetracks, you are forbidden to participate in any share of purses or other payment. Every horse is denied the privilages of the grounds and shall not participate in pari-mutuel racing in New York State, that (a) is owned or trained by you, or by any individuals who serves as your agent or employee during your suspension; or (b) for which you during your suspension are directly or indirectly with training, including any arrangements to care for, train, enter, race, invoice, collect fees or other payments, manage funds, employ or insure workers, provide advise or other information or otherwise assist with any aspect of the training of such horses.

Read more about the issue here.

Track: Belmont Park
Date: 04/30/2022
Licensee: John Servis, trainer
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Administrative error necessitating scratch
Explainer: Mr. John T. Servis has been fined the sum of five hundred $500 dollars for failing to tend to business in a proper manner necessitating a late scratch at Belmont Park in the tenth race on April 30th 2022.

KENTUCKY
The following rulings were not posted on the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission website in time for inclusion last week.

Track: Keeneland
Date: 04/20/2022
Licensee: Rafael Bejarano, jockey
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: After waiving his right to a hearing before the Board of Stewards, Rafael Bejarano, who rode Injunction in the seventh race at Keeneland on April 16, 2022 was found to have violated the crop regulation. This being his first offense, Mr. Bejarano was given the option and chose to pay a fine. Rafael Bejarano is hereby fined $500 for his improper use of the crop by exceeding the allowable use in the overhand manner.

Track: Keeneland
Date: 04/23/2022
Licensee: Joe J. Talamo, jockey
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: After a hearing before the Board of Stewards, Joe J. Talamo, who rode Lapis Lazuli in the eighth race at Keeneland on April 20, 2022 was found to have violated the crop regulation (2nd offense). Joe J. Talamo is hereby fined $500 for his improper use of the crop by exceeding the allowable use in the overhand manner.

Track: Keeneland
Date: 04/23/2022
Licensee: Rafael Bejarano, jockey
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: After a hearing before the Board of Stewards, Rafael Bejarano, who rode Notable Exception in the sixth race at Keeneland on April 20, 2022 was found to have violated the crop regulation (2nd offense). Rafael Bejarano is hereby fined $500 for his improper use of the crop by exceeding the allowable use in the overhand manner.

Track: Keeneland
Date: 04/23/2022
Licensee: Jesus Castanon, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: After waiving his right to a hearing before the Board of Stewards, Jesus L. Castanon, who rode Iron Lady Away in the fifth race at Keeneland on April 22, 2022 was found to have violated the crop regulation. This being his first offense, Mr. Castanon was given the option and chose to serve a suspension. Jesus L. Castanon is hereby suspended 3 racing days, April 24, April 27, and April 28, 2022 for his improper use of the crop by exceeding the allowable use in the overhand manner.

Track: Keeneland
Date: 04/23/2022
Licensee: Rene Diaz, jockey
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: After waiving his right to a hearing before the Board of Stewards, Rene Diaz, who rode Pistol in the ninth race at Keeneland on April 21, 2022 was found to have violated the crop regulation. This being his first offense, Mr. Diaz was given the option and chose to pay a fine. Rene Diaz is hereby fined $500 for his improper use of the crop by exceeding the allowable use in the overhand manner.

The post Weekly Rulings – Apr. 26 – May 2 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

‘Riding Horses Is What I Know’: Jesus Castanon Named Tampa’s Jockey Of The Month

Entering Friday's action, the Tampa Bay Downs jockey standings looked as if they were recovered from a time capsule. Tied at the top, with six victories each, were 48-year-old Jesus Castanon and Jose Ferrer, 57.

Between them, they've won 7,266 races, been hurt too many times and taken the long walk back to the jockeys' room too often to mention. Yet each brings the same dedication, the same love for the sport and the horses and considerably more expertise than they first had as promising teenage riders.

Sometimes, they have to pinch themselves looking around at the new kids on the Oldsmar block who seek to knock them off their perches.

“Every year you have new riders coming in, and this place is very competitive,” Castanon said. “Jose and I were joking about it – you add our ages, and it makes about four of those younger guys.”

Castanon won back-to-back Tampa Bay Downs riding titles in 2004 and 2005, and he spent most of his winters over the next decade competing at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, Oaklawn Park in Arkansas or south Florida. When he returned here five years ago, the memories of those championship seasons came flooding back.

“When it gets close to Opening Day, I get excited to come here and enjoy the people and the weather and have a happy winter,” said Castanon, who edged Ferrer for the first Salt Rock Tavern Jockey of the Month Award of the meeting by virtue of win percentage (6-for-11 through Wednesday). “This place has been real good to me. I just have to thank all the trainers and owners and people on the backside for their support.”

Castanon also praised his new agent, Bob Jobson, for getting him on the right horses.

The fraternity of Thoroughbred race riders forms one of the strongest bonds in any sport. In October, Castanon had cause to reflect on the unwavering support of his own family when his father-in-law, Rolando Simpson, passed away unexpectedly.

Castanon dedicated the Jockey of the Month Award to the memory of Simpson and his own father, Jesus Castanon, Sr., who died of kidney disease in the fall of 2010, six months before the rider's victory aboard Shackleford in the Preakness at Pimlico.

A former trainer, the elder Castanon gave Jesus – the second-youngest of 10 children – and his brothers Antonio and Jose German the green light to ride races. Both siblings are still in the business, with Jose German working here as the assistant to trainer Jordan Blair and Antonio galloping horses for Godolphin in Lexington, Ky.

Castanon's wife, retired jockey Rolanda Simpson, is back home in Shepherdsville, Ky., with three of their four children and two grandchildren. Oldest son Micah is a law student.

Castanon turned to his family to shine a light in 2015 when he was injured twice in a period of two months, the second time incurring a broken tailbone and a concussion in an accident at Ellis Park in Kentucky.

“The second time made me think,” Castanon recounted later. “I looked at my children and thought, do I really want to keep doing it? But riding horses is what I know. My wife was basically with me the whole time I was recuperating, and she gave me a lot of encouragement and told me that whatever I wanted to do, she was going to be there for me.

“This is the main thing I have in life and I love doing it, so I knew I was doing the right thing.”

One of the main things his experience has taught Castanon is not to force the issue.

“I feel if I get too excited (during a race), I kind of lose the touch. So I just go with the motion and don't over-think things,” Castanon said. “I do what I know to do on a horse, and the results have been working out really well.”

Castanon clinched the Jockey of the Month honor with his winning ride on 3-year-old gelding Styner for owner-trainer Juan Arriagada in the eighth race on Wednesday. Content to trail all but one horse early, Castanon shook up his mount approaching the 3/8-mile pole of the 1-mile turf event. Riding in perfect harmony with Styner's instinctual desire, he reached the front a couple of jumps from the wire to win by a half-length at odds of 11-1.

“It was (Styner's) first time racing on the grass, and after I worked him I knew he was going to be able to run. I knew he would be a little sharp from the gate, so I wanted to kind of take that away from him,” Castanon said.

“He was able to settle down behind horses and when I got him to pick it up and swing to the outside and get in the clear, he came running,” said Castanon, who won three races on the card.

Trainer Jordan Blair, who counts Castanon as his “go-to” rider at Tampa Bay Downs, said: “He has been a gifted rider his whole career. His racing IQ is very high and we usually don't have to discuss much before a race because we're on the same page.

“He puts horses in good spots during a race and can come back with good information about the race and the horse. He's just a talented rider and I don't think there is anyone better at Tampa Bay.”

Long-time Tampa Bay Downs race-goers know how fortunate they are to watch and wager on such dedicated veterans as Castanon, Ferrer and Daniel Centeno, but the street runs both ways. Those guys love coming to Tampa Bay Downs each winter to win races and school youngsters.

The relationships feel just like family.

The post ‘Riding Horses Is What I Know’: Jesus Castanon Named Tampa’s Jockey Of The Month appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

$15,000 Purchase Lookin At Justice Kicks Clear To Win Indiana Futurity

A late rider change paired Jesus Castanon with Lookin at Justice in the 21st running of the $75,000 Indiana Futurity Tuesday, Nov. 17 at Indiana Grand. The move proved to be a winning connection as the duo scored a six and one-quarter length win in a time of 1:44.19 in the one mile and 70-yard event.

Starting from post four in the 12-horse lineup, Castanon had Lookin at Justice ready to roll out of the gate, getting good early positioning behind early leader A Few Too Many and Tommy Pompell. Lookin at Justice followed along comfortably down the backstretch as horses vied for position on the outside. Heading into the final turn, Lookin at Justice moved up and moved on to lead the field into the final portions of the race.

In the stretch, Lookin at Justice hit another gear and rolled out to a dominant lead for an easy win. Sudden Shift and DeShawn Parker rallied up late to finish second over Rockin All Night and Rodney Prescott, who also closed well for third place.

“Anytime you get to ride for Mr. Genaro (Garcia), you go out with a lot of confidence,” said Castanon. “I've been on him (Lookin at Justice) in the mornings so I knew him a little. He got somewhat confused turning into the stretch because he looked over and saw the starting gate and he picked up his ears. But I smooched to him one time to pick it up and he took off.”

It was the second win in six starts for Lookin at Justice, who is owned by Steve Lewis of Chicago and Genaro Garcia's Southwest Racing Stable. The juvenile son of Atreides was a $15,000 purchase last year at Fasig Tipton's October Yearling Sale in Kentucky. The Justice Farm product now has in excess of $80,000 in career earnings.

“I always thought two turns would be better for this colt,” said Garcia, who handles the training duties. “He would be much better for a distance because when he was in a sprint, you had to push him the entire time. I feel like he will be a nice 3-year-old. He's one of the special ones in the barn.”

Lewis and Garcia's Southwest Racing Stable is currently leading the owner standings with 19 wins heading into the final two days of racing. Garcia is leading the trainer standings with 41 wins. A title in 2020 would be Garcia's fourth straight training title at Indiana Grand.

The final two days of racing in 2020 offers a lot of action. A $115,522.76 carryover will kick off the Straight Fire 6 Jackpot Pick 6 in the second race Wednesday, Nov. 18. The card also includes two stakes, the 23rd running of the $100,000 To Much Coffee Stakes and the 24th running of the $100,000 Frances Slocum Stakes for older Indiana breds.

The post $15,000 Purchase Lookin At Justice Kicks Clear To Win Indiana Futurity appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post