Castellano Clinches First Keeneland Riding Title

Javier Castellano has ridden more than 4,060 winners and the earners of more than $220.6 million, received the Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding jockey in 2013 and 2014 and has four Breeders’ Cup victories to his name. He is the year’s leading rider by wins and earnings. He now has added another notch to his impressive resume.

Castellano has clinched his first Keeneland leading rider title, visiting the Winner’s Circle 20 times through the first 14 days of the 15-day Keeneland season. He has won four graded stakes – Maker’s 46 Mile (G1), Jenny Wiley (G1), Ben Ali (G3) and Transylvania (G3) Presented Keeneland Select – and has five three-win days during the Spring Meet.

“I’m very blessed,” Castellano said. “The Keeneland meet is very prestigious and I’m very lucky to ride good horses and have a lot of support from Mr. (Ken) Ramsey and a lot of owners, and top trainers Todd Pletcher, Chad Brown and Shug McGaughey, Mike Maker and everyone. I’ve been on a lot of good horses. I’ve been very lucky and fortunate.”

On Friday, Castellano will ride Hellenistic in the Bewitch (G3). With a win, he will equal Jerry Bailey’s Keeneland meet record of five graded stakes wins set during the 2005 Spring Meet.

“It’s a great achievement to be mentioned with that level of jockey like Jerry Bailey,” Castellano said. “That keeps me going and motivated to win races and be competitive.”

The native of Venezuela has had success at Keeneland with 124 career wins here, including 26 stakes victories, through April 24. His first mount at the track resulted in a victory when Proper Gamble won the 2002 Stonerside Beaumont (G2). Castellano said claiming his first leading rider title caught him a bit off guard.

“You don’t think about (the wins) in the moment, you just go with the flow,” Castellano said of his success at the Spring Meet. “The more you win, the more you want to win more races. It’s momentum. You try to focus on each race and do the best you can for each horse, and at the end of the day you realize you’ve had a good (meet).”

Castellano has ranked in the top three in North America in earnings each of the past four years and in wins each of the past three. His Breeders’ Cup victories are the 2004 Classic (G1) on Ghostzapper, 2012 Filly and Mare Turf (G1) on Zagora (FR), 2013 Juvenile Fillies (G1) on Ria Antonia and the 2014 Filly and Mare Turf (G1) on Dayatthespa  He also won the 2006 Preakness (G1) on Bernardini.

“I’ve been very lucky and got to ride a lot of cool horses,” Castellano said. “I’m very fortunate to be in this position.”

RAMSEYS BREAK RECORD FOR MOST MEET TITLES BY AN OWNER

Horses owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey won one race Thursday to push their meet-leading total to 11 with starters in five races today, closing day of Keeneland’s 15-day Spring Meet. Today Keeneland will recognize their success, which led to their record 15^th leading owner title at Keeneland.

The Ramseys needed 15 years to set the record. Through 2014, they were tied with T.A. Grissom, who earned 14 leading owner titles between 1954-1977, recording titles singly and in partnership with J.E. Grissom.

The Ramseys have won or shared seven Spring Meet leading owner titles (2004, 2006, 2010-2013, 2015) and eight Fall Meet titles (2000, 2002, 2007-09, 2012-14). The couple received Eclipse Awards as outstanding owner and breeder in 2013 and 2014 and as outstanding owner in 2004 and 2011.

HORSEMEN PRAISE DIRT TRACK FOR HANDLING APRIL SHOWERS

The second-wettest April on record in Lexington gave Keeneland’s new dirt track a stiff test.

Nearly 11 inches of rain fell during the Spring Meet, including seven inches in a 24-hour period that covered opening day. Despite the torrential rain, which caused standing water in the infield, the new track drained well.

“I’ve never seen a course drain like this one does,” said trainer Larry Jones, who sent out Lovely Maria to win the Central Bank Ashland (G1) the day after the deluge. “Over that day’s period of time, we had between seven and eight inches of rain, and the very next day – the day of the Ashland – (we had) a dry, fast track. It’s like draining a bathtub, getting water off this thing. It’s unreal how it does. It’s fabulous.”

Over the summer of 2014, Keeneland installed a new dirt track that uses a unique drainage system along the inside and outside rails that works in tandem with the existing system beneath the track. The first of its kind in North America, the system is designed to collect and discharge water consistently away from the track.

“(The track has) held up really good,” Keeneland Track Superintendent Javier Barajas said. “I’m really impressed with how it absorbs the water and goes right down to the inside (of the track) and then washes away pretty good. Even with all these rains, only one time has (the track) been sloppy.

“The composition of the race track combined with the drainage and the hard work of the track crew, it really all goes together. It’s not just one component. I’m really fortunate that I got handed a track with great composition. You can be the best or worst track (superintendent) but it all has to do with the composition of the dirt that makes you look good or bad.”

The dirt surface, which comprises sand, silt and clay native to Kentucky, has been well-received by trainers.

“I love the surface here,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who has kept Carpe Diem in training at Keeneland following his win in the April 4 Toyota Blue Grass (G1). “(Keeneland) has done a tremendous job with the new surface here.”

Barajas praised his team for their efforts this spring, which includes arriving at the track at 3 a.m. and working on the track long after each day’s final race. The crew has also spent significant time keeping the turf course, Polytrack training track and horse paths in top-notch condition.

“You can always bet that if Keeneland does something they’re going to do it right,” Jones said. “They set the standard. Once again, they have done it. They hit it dead in the bull’s-eye. I’ve never seen a dirt course like this ever.”

GALLOPING OUT

Jockey Joel Rosario scored his 2,000^th win in the U.S. and Canada when he rode Sante Cellars Racing Club’s Dating Lady Luck to win Thursday’s second race for 3-year-olds maiden fillies. Al Stall Jr. trains the winner, a 3-year-old filly by Arch, who won the 1 3/16-mile race on turf by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.85.

Rosario also won the third race on Tale of Verve and the fourth on Mighty Moon.

Source: Keeneland Association