Castellano Back in Action at Gulfstream Park

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano returned to action Feb. 17 at Gulfstream Park after sitting out for three months while rehabbing from arthroscopic surgery to clean up some debris in his right leg.

Castellano, who has won the meet title at Gulfstream five times, 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 liked, Castellano was more than happy to get back to riding horses in the afternoon.

"I'm very 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 underwent the arthroscopic procedure on 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 the Graham Motion trainee 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.