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Javier Castellano Wins 2023 George Woolf Memorial Award

A four-time Eclipse Award winner and a member of racing's Hall of Fame since 2017, Venezuelan native Javier Castellano has won the 2023 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award via a nationwide vote of his fellow riders.

Castellano, 45, will be honored in a Runhappy Winner's Circle ceremony at Santa Anita this spring. Married to his wife, Abby, Castellano, who immigrated to the United States in June of 1997, has three children, Kayla, Sienna and Brady and is the son-in-law of Terry Meyocks, National Director of the Jockeys' Guild.

Presented annually by Santa Anita since 1950 and one of the most coveted awards in racing, the Woolf Award, which recognizes those riders whose careers and personal character garner esteem for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred racing, can only be won once.

“I am proud to have been honored and selected to win this incredible award,” said Castellano. “It is one that is obviously prestigious, but to be voted by my fellow riders truly makes this so special. I admire my fellow nominees as well as the other incredible riders that have won this award in years past.

“The significance of this award definitely does not go unnoticed. I have so many people to thank and I look forward to having my family with me to accept this award at Santa Anita.”

Named for the late Hall of Fame jockey who gained national acclaim by winning the inaugural Santa Anita H. on Feb. 23, 1935 aboard Azucar and later by piloting the immortal Seabiscuit to victory over Triple Crown Champion War Admiral in match race at Pimlico Race Course on Nov. 1, 1938, the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award has been won by most of the greatest names in the history of the sport.

Second all-time only to fellow Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Castellano now has career purse earnings of more than $377 million and through Dec. 31, 2022, had recorded 5,595 career wins.

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Santa Anita Tracks Open for Light Training Sunday

After being closed for training Friday and Saturday, Santa Anita's main track and training track were open for light training Sunday. According to Santa Anita officials, a total of 6.5 inches of rain fell in Arcadia from Thursday through Saturday, closing the track to both racing and training into the weekend.

Horses were able to jog on both tracks under partly cloudy skies Sunday. There have been no timed workouts at Santa Anita since Thursday.

More rain is forecast for the first half of next week, but the amount projected is much lighter than the recent deluge that saturated the area. Jason Egan, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary, said he expects both tracks to remain open for training with time workouts to resume Tuesday.

Live racing is expected to return to Santa Anita next Friday. As a result of last week's cancellations, Santa Anita has added a card for Mar. 9 and plans to run more overnight races than were originally scheduled next week.

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Weekend Racing Cancelled at Santa Anita Due to Weather

Due to unprecedented winter conditions forecast for Southern California through the upcoming weekend, Santa Anita Park has cancelled Saturday and Sunday's racing programs prior to entries being taken for either day. The track had previously postponed the Friday racing card, which was a makeup day not originally on the calendar.

Blizzard warnings have been issued for the San Gabriel Mountains behind the historic track, with snowfall expected at the 1,000 foot level. It is the first blizzard warning ever issued in Los Angeles County. The storm, which is expected to begin late morning on Thursday, is forecast to drop six inches of rain through Saturday.

The decision to cancel both days out of an abundance of caution was made in consultation with industry stakeholders, including the Thoroughbred Owners of California, the California Thoroughbred Trainers Association, and the California Horse Racing Board.

The main track and training track training schedule will be announced on a daily basis and will be open for training as the weather permits.

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With Heavy Rain Forecasted, Santa Anita Cancels Friday’s Card

Santa Anita has canceled Friday's card due to heavy rain forecast for the area beginning Thursday. Most of the races scheduled for Friday will be brought back as “extras” on Saturday, according to a notice from the racing office.

“We're looking at a low end of probably two inches of rain between late Thursday and Friday with a high end closer to five inches,” said Jason Egan, Santa Anita director of racing and racing secretary.

Friday was originally scheduled to be a dark day at Santa Anita following Monday's special Presidents' Day card. However, due to what were multiple rain-related cancellations earlier in the meet, Friday's card was added to serve as a makeup for the lost days.

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