Hall of Famer Castellano Earns 5,000th Career Win

Jockey Javier Castellano could have won his 5,000th race a day earlier at Keeneland.

Yet for the 40-year-old Hall of Famer, there was a special satisfaction in finally achieving one of his milestones in New York, the circuit that has been his home for the bulk of the last 17 years.

"I won my 1,000th, 2,000th, 3,000th and 4,00th races in Florida, so to win my 5,000th race in New York is special," said the native of Maracaibo, Venezuela. "I'm very excited and grateful to do it here with this strong jockeys' colony with John Velazquez and the Ortiz brothers and all the top riders in the country who have such great skill. You need to be on top of your game here because these young kids have talent. You have to ride hard to be competitive."

Castellano became the 34th North American jockey to reach 5,000 wins by winning back-to-back stakes on the Oct. 20 Empire Showcase Day card for New York State-breds at Belmont Park.

A lopsided six-length win on Offering Plan for owners Michael Dubb, Nantucket Thoroughbred Partners, Bethlehem Stable and Gary Aisquith in the $200,000 Mohawk Stakes accounted for win No. 4,999, and in the very next race, a very appreciative Castellano guided Harold Lerner LLC and Nehoc Stables' Runaway Lute to a three-quarters-of-a-length victory in the $150,000 Hudson Handicap to join the 5,000 Club.

"I thank God for giving me the skill and opportunity to ride horses and I've been very lucky and fortunate because it's a very difficult job. Anything can happen. You can get hurt, but thank God, everything has gone smoothly throughout the many years of my career," said Castellano, a six-time winner of the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) and two-time winner of the Preakness Stakes (G1). "I'm thankful to all the trainers for having the confidence in me and giving me the opportunity to ride their horses. The owners, my wonderful wife (Abby), who has supported me through a job that's not easy, my three children, my father-in-law, (Jockeys' Guild national manager) Terry Meyocks, my mother, they have always supported me."

With another milestone checked off in an illustrious career that started in the United States in 1997, Castellano said he remains as focused as ever on the first Saturday in May and one of the glaring omissions on his resume.

"I'm a Hall of Famer, I've won four Eclipse Awards, but it's not over. I'm still chasing some dreams. My next goal is the (Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve [G1]). It's the dream that I'm always chasing and trying to win one day," said Castellano, who is 0-for-12 in the Derby. "Hopefully I'll have the right situation and the right horse to win it one day."

Anyone doubting Castellano's abilities to pick up a Derby win, even as his 41st birthday is days away, need look no further than the next race at Belmont Park to understand how well he's riding.

Immediately after his 5,000th win, he took his first step toward win No. 6,000 by posting his 5,001st victory courtesy of Peter Brant's Fifty Five in the $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes.

"I'm proud to be in the company of the best jockeys and trainers," he said, "and very fortunate to be here."