Tag: People

Jockey Edgard Zayas celebrated his 2,000th career victory in style Friday at Gulfstream Park, rallying Wonder Stables, Madaket Stables and Golconda Stable's 3-year-old filly Miss You Ella to a popular triumph in the $70,000 Cellars Shiraz.

Trained by Sunshine Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., Miss You Ella ($6.60) completed one mile and 70 yards in 1:43.81 over the all-weather Tapeta course to become a stakes winner for the first time after placing twice previously, including the Sweetest Chant (G3) Feb. 5.

Miss You Ella rated in mid-pack as Frippet led through an opening quarter-mile in 25.72 seconds until Omixochitl took over after a half in 51.95. Zayas tipped outside on the far turn and set his sights on the leader, gaining steadily through the stretch before edging past approaching the wire.

“My plan was to try to follow [Omixochitl]. The last time they ran together, she beat her,” Zayas said. “I thought if I had a shot to beat her, I just had to follow her around and see if I could finish it. As soon as she got in the clear, she finished up really strong. She keeps improving every race.”

Zayas reached the milestone four months after returning from surgery on his left shoulder that ended his 2021 season last December, the subsequent recovery and rehabilitation keeping him out of action until June 24.

Miss You Ella was the fifth of six mounts on the day for Zayas, 29, who had run second five times after getting No. 1,999 Oct. 29, including twice Friday. It was Zayas' seventh stakes win since coming back, following Lynx in the Florida Sire Stakes Desert Vixen and Susan's Girl, Turbo in the Juvenile Sprint, Chasing Artie in the Bobby Umphrey Sprint, Blind Spot in the Our Dear Peggy and Clapton in the Gil Campbell Memorial.

“It feels amazing,” Zayas said. “It was a little harder than I thought to get the last one, but we were close a few times and hopefully there's more to come.”

Zayas notched a second straight win Friday aboard Bass Stables' Avow ($3.60), the 4-5 favorite trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, in Race 9 to move into a tie with Leonel Reyes for second in the rider standing with 17 wins, trailing only Miguel Vasquez's 29.

A native of Puerto Rico where he attended jockey school, Zayas ventured directly to South Florida to launch his professional career, making his debut Oct. 28, 2012 and winning his first race Nov. 17, 2012 aboard Five Afternoons, both at Calder Race Course, later Gulfstream Park West.

He developed a friendship with Hall of Famer Angel Cordero Jr., who took him under his wing and worked with him daily to develop his riding style during the 2012-2013 Championship Meet. Zayas went on to win 203 races in 2013 including his first Grade 1 on Starship Truffles in the Princess Rooney Handicap, and became a finalist for the Eclipse Award as champion apprentice.

Zayas has won more than 200 races in six of his nine full seasons, winning several riding titles in South Florida and earning victory No. 1,000 Aug. 12, 2017 at Gulfstream on Highborn. He has personal single-season highs of 1,447 starters in 2020, 285 wins in 2014 and $8.44 million in purse earnings in 2021.

Among the top horses Zayas has ridden are $5.5 million earner Gunnevera and fellow graded-stakes winners Sharp Azteca, Consumer Credit, C. Zee, Favorite Tale, Isabella Sings, Dearest, Shakhimat, Drain the Clock and Wholebodemeister.

Zayas enjoyed a breakout 2020-2021 Championship Meet ranking fifth with 74 wins and nearly $2.8 million in purse earnings, followed by 2021 spring-summer and fall meet titles. Before having surgery, he had 11 wins to start 2021-2022 Championship Meet including victories in the Claiming Crown Tiara on Sugar Fix and Claiming Crown Express on Face of Victory.

“Hopefully we keep the support from all the trainers and all the owners and we have a good upcoming winter meet,” Zayas said. “It's even more special to [get No. 2,000] for Saffie. I've won so many races for him and been riding for him for a long time. But, I have to thank everyone for always supporting me for all these years.”

During his recovery and rehabilitation, Zayas was able to spend some quality family time with his wife, Ashley, and daughters, Lillian (5) and Lilah (21 months), who celebrated in the winner's circle after the race.

“For them to be here is very special,” Zayas said. “Their support means everything.”

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Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano kicked off the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet in style, winning with 5-of-9 mounts on the 10-race card.

Castellano, who won four straight Eclipse Awards from 2013-16, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017 when he was just 39-years-old.

“It's a very competitive game and I don't take anything for granted,” Castellano said. “Everything has to come together at the right place and the right time. I'm very lucky to have all the owners and trainers give me an opportunity to ride their horses. Especially today on a special day when a lot of jockeys are at the Breeders' Cup. My agent, P.J. Campo, did a great job finding the right horses.”

Castellano said he is hopeful the impressive day is a harbinger of good things to come on Saturday's Breeders' Cup card at Keeneland where he will pilot Sterling Silver [Filly and Mare Sprint], Ivar [Mile] and Nautilus [Turf].

“It's amazing to win five races the day before I go to the Breeders' Cup,” Castellano said. “You get the momentum and the confidence in yourself and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Hopefully, we can knock out one or two at the Breeders' Cup.”

Castellano started the card on the right foot with an impressive maiden score by the Chad Brown-trained Fireline [No. 7, $5.90] in the day's opening race, a one-mile maiden special weight over the main track for juvenile fillies.

The veteran rider swept Races 5-7, beginning with Control Function [No. 7, $2.90*] for Brown in a 1 1/16-mile claimer over the inner turf. He followed by guiding Highway Harmony [No. 3, $3.60*] to a maiden score for conditioner Jorge Abreu and completed the mid-card natural hat trick with Candle [No. 4, $14.20], who staved off the late-running Sweetlou'sgotaces to notch a maiden score over the outer turf for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

Castellano completed the quintet of victories in the Race 10 finale as Sweetness [No. 4, $9] drew off to score in a 1 1/16-mile inner turf maiden to give Abreu his second winner on the card.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Aqueduct with a 10-race card, including the $120,000 Atlantic Beach in Race 4 and $120,000 Stewart Manor in Race 7. First post is 10:50 a.m. Eastern. Doors will open at 10 a.m.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the best way to bet every race of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post ‘I Don’t Take Anything For Granted’: Hall Of Famer Javier Castellano Rides Five Winners At Aqueduct Friday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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From a near-record number of submissions, Annette Dashofy's “Death by Equine” has been named winner of the 16th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award. The announcement was made during a Nov. 3 cocktail reception at the Ryan family's Castleton Lyons, near Lexington, Ky. — the first live ceremony since 2019, due to COVID. As in previous years, the event was held in a loft above the farm's famed 19th century stallion barn.

“Death by Equine” becomes the fourth work of fiction to be honored. Past winners have included biographies of prominent racing participants; a short story collection; an anthology of racetrack memories; a work of investigative reporting; and a National Book Award recipient.

This year's winner was penned by a USA Today best-selling author and multiple Agatha Award nominee. It tells the story of a young racetrack veterinarian who unexpectedly finds herself investigating the suspicious death of her mentor. In the process, she encounters unsavory characters and deceitful friends, uncovers a spate of illicit activities, and ultimately becomes a target herself.

Judges for the competition, comprised of books published in 2021, were Eclipse Award winner Kay Coyte, a former editor at Washington Post; award-winning television racing broadcaster Caton Bredar; and Mark Shrager, who won the 2020 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award for the biography: “Diane Crump, A Horse-Racing Pioneer's Life in the Saddle.”

Shrager described “Death by Equine” as “a lively racetrack whodunit that really grabs the reader in the first few pages and never lets go.”

Lead judge Coyte agreed, calling it “one of those books that keeps you up at night because you just have to find out whodunit.” Coyte noted that Dashofy had an in-depth knowledge of racing that enabled her to describe backstretch life vividly and accurately. “Dashofy's characters came alive in her writing, and the mystery's twists and turns kept me guessing through the final chapter.”

“Our best 2021 titles were dominated by female authors,” Coyte added, “and the three finalists rose to the top. Each author mastered the sport's arcane language while telling a great story for a wide audience.”

Dashofy was awarded a check for $10,000 and a Tipperary crystal replica of Castleton Lyons' iconic stone tower. Finalists Dawn LeFevre (“Racetrack Rogues: One Woman's Story of Family, Love, and Loss in the Horse Racing World”) and Jennifer Morrison (“Run With a Mighty Heart”) each received $1,000 and a trophy.

Dr. Tony Ryan founded the competition in 2006 to recognize quality book length writing with a racing backdrop. After the global businessman/philanthropist passed the following year, the award was continued in his honor by his son Shane, current president of Castleton Lyons.

Entries are open until Dec. 31, 2022 for next year's Award for books published in 2022. For competition rules and additional information, contact Kerrie Cahill at kcahill@castletonlyons.com.

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From a near-record number of submissions, Annette Dashofy's Death by Equine has been named winner of the 16^th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award. The announcement was made during a Nov. 3 cocktail reception at the Ryan family's Castleton Lyons, near Lexington, Kentucky—the first live ceremony since 2019, due to Covid. As in previous years, the event was held in a loft above the farm's famed 19th century stallion barn.

Death by Equine becomes the fourth work of fiction to be honored. Past winners have included biographies of prominent racing participants; a short story collection; an anthology of racetrack memories; a work of investigative reporting; and a National Book Award recipient.

This year's winner was penned by a USA Today best-selling author and multiple Agatha Award nominee. It tells the story of a young racetrack veterinarian who unexpectedly finds herself investigating the suspicious death of her mentor. In the process, she encounters unsavory characters and deceitful friends, uncovers a spate of illicit activities, and ultimately becomes a target herself.

Judges for the competition, comprised of books published in 2021, were Eclipse Award winner Kay Coyte, a former editor at The Washington Post; award-winning television racing broadcaster Caton Bredar; and Mark Shrager, who won the 2020 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award for the biography: Diane Crump, A Horse-Racing Pioneer's Life in the Saddle.

Shrager described Death by Equine as “a lively racetrack whodunit that really grabs the reader in the first few pages and never lets go.”

Lead judge Coyte agreed, calling it “one of those books that keeps you up at night because you just have to find out whodunit.” Coyte noted that Dashofy had an in-depth knowledge of racing that enabled her to describe backstretch life vividly and accurately. “Dashofy's characters came alive in her writing, and the mystery's twists and turns kept me guessing through the final chapter.”

“Our best 2021 titles were dominated by female authors,” Coyte added, “and the three finalists rose to the top. Each author mastered the sport's arcane language while telling a great story for a wide audience.”

Dashofy was awarded a check for $10,000 and a Tipperary crystal replica of Castleton Lyons' iconic stone tower. Finalists Dawn LeFevre (Racetrack Rogues: One Woman's Story of Family, Love, and Loss in the Horse Racing World) and Jennifer Morrison (Run With a Mighty Heart) each received $1,000 and a trophy.  

Dr. Tony Ryan founded the competition in 2006 to recognize quality book length writing with a racing backdrop. After the global businessman/philanthropist passed the following year, the award was continued in his honor by his son Shane, current president of Castleton Lyons.

Entries are open until December 31, 2022 for next year's Award for books published in 2022. For competition rules and additional information, contact Kerrie Cahill at kcahill@castletonlyons.com.

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