Travers Win No. 6 Was One Castellano Saw Coming

Javier Castellano stood outside Barn 9 the morning of Aug. 26 and rattled off the names: Braulio Baeza, Eddie Arcaro, Pat Day. In addition to being three of the greatest ever to sit in the saddle, they are also among the faces their comrades least wanted to see when it came to the Midsummer Derby, as each—along with Mike Smith and Jimmy McLaughlin—boasts four victories in the hallmark race of every Saratoga Race Course meet.

"You know, you analyze it and see who won the most … big names in the game, and they did it for many, many years," the affable jockey said before adding with a smile, "Hopefully, we can continue to get more."

Castellano has his own Hall of Fame plaque on Union Avenue, but any achievement he can garner to further distinguish his legacy is a treasured one. The afternoon of Aug. 25 saw Castellano do just that as he guided Catholic Boy to victory in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), earning his sixth win in the 1 1/4-mile test to add to his already record-setting total.

Twelve years have passed since Castellano first held the Travers' red and white blanket of flowers in place over eventual champion Bernardini 's withers, and he has subsequently pulled some stunning clinics in the 10-furlong race. In 2010, he urged Afleet Express's nose to hit the wire first over Fly Down. And after notching two more wins with Stay Thirsty  (2011) and V.E. Day (2014), he crafted the well-timed move of 2015 when he got Keen Ice  to run by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah  in deep stretch, handing racing's drought-buster a three-quarter-length defeat.

When asked about the significance of being the undisputed king of the race that has shaped its share of champions, Castellano reverted to his usual humble ways. His respect for the history around him made the moment all the more poignant, and he is always quick to pass the lion's share of credit onto his equine partners.

"It feels so great. I'm blessed to be part of the history. There's so much history at this track," Castellano said. "To win six Travers, I've been very, very blessed and very lucky and fortunate to be part of it. I've been riding a lot of good horses, and I have a lot of support, a lot of help, for many years."

Based off what he was feeling from Catholic Boy in the morning hours, Castellano said Travers trophy No. 6 was something he fully expected to be hoisting on Saturday.

Castellano's skills helped the son of More Than Ready  snatch victory from the jaws of defeat when he re-rallied past Analyze It to win both the June 2 Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) and July 7 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T). When the decision was made to put the bay ridgling back on dirt for the Travers Stakes, it was Castellano's input that gave trainer Jonathan Thomas peace of mind that he was making the astute call.

"We felt like he'd had a very good series of works over the track here," Thomas said. "And Javier has been so key in the last three to four works with this horse, executing our works to perfection and giving us the confidence to go ahead. We were always going to let him dictate whether he felt the horse handled the track or not. At every juncture, he was adamant that he did."

Added Castellano, "Oh 100%, I knew I was going to win the Travers. As soon as I worked him on the dirt, I said, 'This is the Travers winner.' I told (Thomas) right away. He's a very consistent and very smart horse. It's so rare to see horses like that. He's a superstar."

Earning grade 1 wins on turf and dirt, particularly in this day and age, is indeed a category reserved for uncommon talent. Two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome  capped his dual classic-winning 2014 season with a victory in the Hollywood Derby (G1T). Before fellow two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan became a near immovable force on the turf, the Wiseman's Ferry gelding earned his first career top-level win when he took the 2011 Clark Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs.

Castellano may deflect praise his way, but he isn't shy about expressing his confidence in his best mounts. In Catholic Boy, he believes he has not just the most versatile sophomore runner going but the 3-year-old with the most upside.

"He's so good, that horse. I've never seen a horse like that in my life," Castellano said. "He can run on turf, dirt; I think he's amazing. He won grade 1 on the turf and a grade 1 on the dirt, he's only 3 years old—you don't see too many like that. I've been blessed to be part of it."