Claiming Crown: Castellano Comes Up Big

Jockey Javier Castellano enjoyed a strong start to this year's Claiming Crown races Saturday, Dec. 5 at Gulfstream Park as the two-time Eclipse Award-winning rider won three of the event's first five races.

Gulfstream opened its championship meet with the $1.1 million Claiming Crown Saturday, nine stakes races run under starter-race conditions as they are restricted to horses who started in a claiming race in 2014 or 2015. 

Castellano scored his first win in the second Claiming Crown race when Runs With Bulls rallied along the rail in the stretch to win the $110,000 Iron Horse.

Loooch Racing Stables' Runs With Bulls, who is trained by Peter Walder, extended his win streak to three races as the 6-year-old Flashy Bull   gelding entered off allowance-optional claiming races at Thistledown.

"I was right where I wanted to be," Castellano said. "The way I handicapped the race, there was a lot of speed and it set up for my horse. I never rode the horse, but I followed the direction of the trainer. He gave me the key to win the race. He was on the outside down the backside and cut the corner turning for home. I'm very satisfied the way he did it."

Runs With Bulls ($11.20 for win) completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:43.63 on the sealed track listed as good. Twocubanbrothersu edged Roll On the Navajo by a nose for second.

Two races later Castellano would pick up his second Claiming Crown victory on the day when he guided owner-trainer David Jacobson's Stallwalkin' Dude to a hard-fought victory in the Rapid Transit, a seven-furlong race.

Stallwalkin' Dude and Trouble Kid, both sent off at 2-1, battled thorugh the length of the stretch with Stallwalkin' Dude ($6.40 for win) prevailing by a neck. The 5-year-old City Place gelding completed seven furlongs in 1:22.34.

"I rode with a lot of confidence because I think he likes the sloppy track. It set up perfect the way he did it," Castellano said. "My horse is a game horse. When he saw the other horse, he went back running again. He never gave up."

Castellano then notched a second straight Claiming Crown win and third on the day when he again teamed with Walder and owner Loooch Racing Stables, guiding Moonshine Promise to a five-length score in the $100,000 Glass Slipper. 

Moonshine Promise completed the one-turn mile race for fillies and mares in 1:37.67. The 6-year-old daughter of Will He Shine entered had won half her previous six starts, all at Thistledown.

In the day's first Claiming Crown race, Crossed Sabres Farm's Quiet Kitten continued her strong finish to the 2015 season by registering a two-length victory in the $110,000 Claiming Crown Tiara Stakes.

Quiet Kitten and jockey Matthew Rispoli opened a clear advantage in the turn and maintained that edge to the wire. The 3-year-old daughter of Kitten's Joy   completed the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares in 1:48.51 on turf rated good under showery conditions.

Trained by Marcus Vitali, Quiet Kitten entered the Tiara off a runner-up finish in the Cellars Shiraz Stakes Oct. 31 on the turf at Gulfstream Park West. Before that effort she registered back to back victories in turf races at Monmouth Park and Gulfstream.

"So far it's been a good claim for us," Vitali quipped. "She's been doing really good, this filly. It seems like we're on the right track. We gave her a little breather after shipping down and everything has gone well. The race really set up well for her with a little speed in front. We let her lay off just a little bit, and I told Matt that when it was time to make his own decision. He made the right decision today. We'll see how she comes out of it and let her tell us when she's ready (to run again)."

Quiet Kitten ($9.20 for win), was followed home by Seneca Destiny in second and Wild Swava third.

In the Distaff Dash Stakes, Acclaimed Racing Stable's Silver Sashay proved to be a cool customer under Edgard Zayas.

Unbothered by the move from the grass to the off-track dirt of the five-furlong test for fillies and mares, even though the 5-year-old Eurosilver mare entered off seven straight turf races, Silver Sashay enjoyed a half-length at each point of call and held off a late run by Sunrise Kitty to win by that margin, completing the race in :57.90.

Trained by Alfred McIntosh, Silver Sashay was in between rivals Katie O. and Forest Funds in the backstretch but was never bothered and eventually put them away in the stretch. Katie O. would finish third and Forest Funds fourth. While Silver Sashay ($11.40 win) had not raced since winning the Bougainvillea Handicap sprinting on the Gulfstream turf in July, her return victory extended her win streak to four straight.

This story will be updated.