Castellano chases 2nd Pegasus World Cup win with O’Connor

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, closing in on 5,600 career victories, will be aboard Chilean Group 1 winner O’Connor while chasing a second win in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Castellano, 45, captured the 2019 Pegasus World Cup with City of Light in his career finale after also riding the Michael McCarthy trainee to a win in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He will be riding O’Connor, one of three horses in the race trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., for the first time.

The 6-year-old O’Connor won nine races in his native Chile, five of them in group-stakes capped by the Gran Premio Latinoamerico last April. He was a popular six-length winner of his North American debut last October at Gulfstream, subsequently running fourth in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) on Dec. 31, both times under Edgard Zayas.

“I’m looking forward to it big time. The Pegasus is one of the biggest races here in South Florida and it’s really special for this time of year,” Castellano said. “I really like my horse. His first start in the country he was very impressive, and the second time he had a little excuse. I think that race can push him right in the belly and move him forward. There’s a lot of speed in the race and he’s the type of horse that comes from behind. I think it could be a good setup for him.”

Castellano was at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, Fla., to breeze O’Connor on Jan. 20, when they were timed in 1:00.80 for five furlongs, the fastest of eight horses at the distance. They will break from outermost post No. 12 in the Pegasus with morning-line odds of 10-1.

“I worked the horse last week and he worked really, really good behind horses. He worked in a minute and galloped out in 1:13,” he said. “He did it the right way. I liked the way he went, and he really impressed me the way he did it.”

Castellano will also be aboard Group 1 winner Ivar in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) and Justify My Love in the $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G3). Both horses were bred in Brazil, are owned by Bonne Chance Farm and Stud RDI and trained by Paulo Lobo.

Ivar was undefeated in three starts in Argentina including two Group 1 victories before coming to the U.S. in the spring of 2020. He won the Keeneland Turf Mile (G1) that fall in his fourth North American start and exits the Breeders’ Cup Mile where he ran fourth, beaten one length.

“In the Breeders’ Cup he ran such a great race, and he was fourth behind the three top European horses,” Castellano said. “Turning for home I thought I was going to win the race. I opened up at the 3/16ths pole and at the eighth pole all three horses went by, but he ran great. Basically, he beat all the other horses in America in that race. I think I was a good race to set him up for the Pegasus Turf.”

Ivar is the 5-2 program favorite for the Pegasus Turf and will break from post No. 10.

Justify My Love also began her career in Argentina with three wins from eight starts, topped by the 2020 La Mission (G2). She has raced three times in North America with her lone win coming most recent start, a 1 1/16-mile turf optional claimer last November at Churchill Downs. She drew post No. 8 of 11 and was assigned morning-line odds of 30-1.

“I don’t know too much about the filly, but I watched her replay, and she looks like a really nice horse,” Castellano said. “I’ll get with Paulo and see what he wants to do.”

In all Castellano has mounts in 10 of 13 races on the Pegasus program including Reigning Spirit in the $200,000 William L. McKnight (G3), Doc Amster in the $150,000 Fred W. Hooper (G3) and Greyes Creek in the $100,000 Carousel Club.