Javier Castellano is an exceptional jockey from Venezuela who won two out of three Triple Crown races this year (2023), in addition to winning awards, accolades, and thousands of races over the last 20 years. He is the only jockey to have won seven Travers Stakes races, using just 14 mounts to do so, and he’s one of only two jockeys to win four consecutive Eclipse Awards. The winner of 12 Breeders’ Cup races, Castellano has ranked in the top three jockeys by national earnings from 2011 to 2019 and is currently ranked second in all-time earnings (behind John Velazquez) with over $394 million with 5,732 career wins. Javier has also won two Preakness Stakes (2006 & 2017) and the 2016 Kentucky Oaks.
Castellano topped all North American riders in earnings in his Eclipse Award-winning years (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) and led the national standings in wins in 2013 and 2015. He set a record of $28.1 million in earnings in 2015. Castellano has found success at a multitude of tracks over the years: he has won 11 riding titles on the New York Racing Association circuit, five at Gulfstream, and two at Keeneland. Out of his 11 New York riding titles, six were at Belmont, three at Aqueduct, and two at Saratoga. His five titles at Gulfstream were in consecutive years (2011-2016), and his 132 wins at Gulfstream during the 2013-2014 winter meet set a track record.
In 2017, Castellano was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. He was awarded the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 2023, an award based on a nationwide vote of riders that reflects both exceptional career achievements and personal character.
Demographic Profile
- Born: October 23, 1977
- Place of Birth: Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela
- Residence: Garden City, N.Y.
- Nationality: American, Venezuelan
- Height: 1.55 m (5ft 1in)
- Weight: 110 lbs (49.89 kg)
Racing Career
Mounts | 31,836 and still counting |
Earnings | $394,964,622 and still counting |
Wins | 5,732 and still counting |
Debuted | 1996 in Venezuela; 1997 in the USA |
Retired | Still Active |
First Win in the U.S. | July 31, 1997, North American winner, Phone Man at Calder |
Major Races
- Metropolitan Handicap (2005, 2015, 2020)
- Donn Handicap (2015)
- Miami Mile Handicap (1999, 2009)
- Smile Sprint Handicap (2000)
- Beldame Stakes (2001, 2004)
- Clark Handicap (2003)
- Woodward Stakes (2004, 2015, 2016)
- Wood Memorial Stakes (2005)
- Flash Stakes (2005)
- Hill Prince Stakes (2005, 2006)
- Jim Dandy Stakes (2006)
- Jockey Club Gold Cup (2006)
- Withers Stakes (2006, 2013)
- Travers Stakes (2006, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018)
- Long Branch Stakes (2007)
- Kelso Breeders’ Cup Handicap (2007, 2008)
- Shirley Jones Handicap (2008)
- Highlander Stakes (2008)
- Man o’ War Stakes (2008)
- Garden City Handicap (2008)
- Commonwealth Turf Stakes (2009)
- Remsen Stakes (2013)
- Gazelle Handicap (2001, 2006)
- Secretariat Stakes (2003)
- Vosburgh Stakes (2003)
- Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (2003)
- Bertram F. Bongard Stakes (2004)
- Beaugay Handicap (2004)
- Discovery Handicap (2004)
- Sport Page Breeders’ Cup Handicap (2004)
- Jamaica Handicap (2005)
- Coolmore Lexington Stakes (2005)
- Forward Gal Stakes (2005)
- Ben Ali Stakes (2006)
- Gallant Bloom Handicap (2006)
- Vagrancy Handicap (2007)
- Sabin Stakes (2007, 2008)
- Endeavour Stakes (2012)
- Bowling Green Handicap (2013)
American Classics / Breeders’ Cup:
- Preakness Stakes (2006, 2017)
- Kentucky Oaks (2016)
- Breeders’ Cup Classic (2004)
- Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (2015, 2018)
- Breeders’ Cup Distaff (2015)
- Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (2013, 2019)
- Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (2012, 2014)
- Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (2016)
- Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (2019)
International races:
- Dubai Golden Shaheen (2005)
- Connaught Cup Stakes (2006)
- Woodbine Oaks (2008)
- Canadian International Stakes (2008)
Historical Achievements, Honors Received, Recognitions
2013
- Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
- North America’s leading rider in earnings
- North America’s leading rider in wins
2014
- Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
- North America’s leading rider in earnings
2015
- Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
- North America’s leading rider in earnings
- North America’s leading rider in wins
2016
- Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
- North America’s leading rider in earnings
2017
- National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame; the second Venezuelan to be inducted after Ramon Alfredo Dominguez.
2023
- George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award
Characteristics
Castellano is one of the most respected jockeys in the US for his dedication, achievements, and thoughtful, kind disposition. The awards he has received over his career attest to his incredible skill as a jockey and his winning personality. Unfailingly polite and respectful, Castellano is the kind of guy that’s always first to stand up and offer you his chair if you’re standing. However, behind his genial attitude is a fierce competitor with shrewd decision-making skills. His positivity, perseverance, and strong work ethic have brought him where he is today. Castellano is humble despite his success and has said that he owes his parents for raising him to be respectful of others.
Never a picky jockey, Castellano takes every race seriously and is known for his consistency. Former jockey and NYRA analyst Richard Migliore said of him, “He rides so consistently well on any kind of horse. It doesn’t matter if it’s a cheap claimer or a Grade 1 stakes. You’re going to get a consistently good ride from Javier. He’s not streaky. He is across-the-board consistent.”
Castellano is also known for his strategic preparation before races, and he almost always has a plan for an upcoming race. He watches a lot of race replays and plans his approach to races with the horse’s trainers and owners. His riding style is versatile; he can ride well on the lead, from behind, from the gate, and on the turf.
Plaque/Statue
Javier Castellano was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and honored with a plaque on August 4, 2017, in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Personal Life
Javier Castellano was born on October 23, 1977, in Maracaibo, Venezuela, into a family of equestrians: his father, uncle, and his brother were all jockeys. Young Javier did not initially want to become a jockey, and neither did his parents; they wanted him to pursue a proper education and a professional career. Castellano originally wanted to become a professional baseball player, but as he got older, he realized he was too short and at 16 years old, he told his parents he wanted to become a jockey. There were no jockey schools in Venezuela, so he would go to the track and learn how to ride horses from his father. Castellano considers his father to be the biggest influence on his career.
He started his career in Venezuela as a regular rider at the Santa Rita and La Rinconada racecourses in 1996. The next year, he moved to Florida and had his first North American win aboard Phone Man on July 31, 1997, at Calder. He won his first graded stakes race riding Exogenous to victory in the Beldame Stakes and Gazelle Handicap in 2001. On the advice of his agent at the time, Steve Adika, Castellano moved to New York in 2001 so he could compete in the state’s racing circuit.
Castellano is married to Abby Meyocks, the daughter of Terry Meyocks, the national director of the Jockeys’ Guild. They have two daughters, Kayla Marie and Sienna Grace, and a son, Brady Ryan. His younger brother, Abel, went on to become a jockey as well before pivoting to being a trainer. The two had the opportunity to team up for a claiming race for 3-year-old maiden fillies at Gulfstream Park in 2018 when Javier rode Nothins Free to victory, a horse that was trained by Abel.
Castellano was the first major rider based in the US that tested positive for COVID-19 during a routine physical exam at Gulfstream Park in March 2020. Fortunately, he was asymptomatic, and was able to return to racing after quarantining on May 1st at Oaklawn Park.
Travers Stakes Champion
Castellano has won the Travers Stakes more than any other jockey, with seven wins from just 14 mounts, or a 50% strike rate. He won the Travers Stakes Bernardini in 2006, the Travers Stakes Afleet Express in 2010, the Travers Stakes Stay Thirsty in 2011, the Traves Stakes V.E Day in 2014, the Travers Stakes Keen Ice in 2015, and the Travers Stakes Catholic Boy in 2018.
In 2006, Castellano guided Bernardini to victory at the Preakness Stakes. In addition to his first Triple Crown win, he went on to win the Grade 1 Travers Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes.
In 2010, he won five consecutive races at Saratoga Racecourse. That winning streak came on the third day of the racing season, with the biggest victory of the five coming in the Travers aboard Afleet Express.
In 2011, he went on another win streak with five Grade 1 stakes races: the Prioress Stakes, the Ballerina, the Personal Ensign and the Diana, and the Travers with Stay Thirsty in Saratoga racecourse.
In 2014, Castellano won the Travers Stakes aboard V.E. Day. This year also marked his highest win rate along with 2015, with a 23%-win rate in both years. He picked up $25 million in earnings over the course of 315 victories.
In 2015, he was the leading rider by win count with 344 wins out of 1,507 mounts. He won his fifth Travers Stakes that year aboard Keen Ice, where he upset the Triple Crown champion American Pharoah.
In 2018, Castellano collected his sixth Travers Stakes win aboard Catholic Boy. He also became the regular rider of Grade 1 victor Imperial Hunt and won another Breeders’ Cup aboard Bulletin during the Juvenile Turf Sprint.
In 2023, Castellano won yet another Travers Stakes aboard Arcangelo. He nearly took home the Triple Crown this year as well, winning the Kentucky Derby aboard Mage and the Belmont Stakes aboard Arcangelo again.
Brawl with Borel
A rare scene took place after the 2010 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs when jockey Calvin Borel punched Javier Castellano in the winner’s circle.
During the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, Castellano (aboard Prince Will I Am) was facing pressure on the outside, and attempted to maneuver into a hole, inadvertently crossing into the path of Borel and Martin Garcia. As a result, Garcia’s mount Romp stumbled and nearly threw him from the saddle, and Borel’s horse, A.U. Miner, was jostled and lost its momentum.
Borel was furious and wasted no time after the race ended in confronting Castellano. Red in the face, Borel attacked Castellano just a few yards away from where the owners of Marathon winner Eldaafer were posing with the Breeders’ Cup trophy. Castellano fought back and the two began exchanging blows. Security officials struggled to stop the fistfight, and after several minutes, the two were separated and dragged to the jockeys’ room.
Prince Will I Am finished second behind Eldaafer, but was disqualified due to Castellano’s maneuver and placed 10th, bumping A.U. Miner up to third place. After the incident, both Borel and Castellano were fined and suspended for six days. The Kentucky Board of Stewards fined Borel $5,000 and Castellano $2,500 for their fight. Castellano was suspended from riding from November 11-14 and November 16-17. For his part, Castellano defended himself by claiming ignorance, saying, “I had pressure outside me. I went for a hole, and they said I took his lane. I don’t know. I don’t know.”
The two were able to settle their disagreement later, and Borel apologized for “losing his cool” at such a prestigious event.
Injuries
Castellano has suffered his fair share of injuries like many other jockeys. In 2009, he was thrown from his mount in a race at Gulfstream and was hospitalized for an injured right shoulder. He took six weeks off of racing in 2020 to undergo arthroscopic hip surgery, and he was hospitalized in 2022 for an injury to his left foot and ankle as a result of his left foot striking the rail during a race at Saratoga.Where the money might be better spent than a cover over the 33 is the redesign and construction of the interchanges from the I-90 to the 290, the 33, and Walden Avenue. Flyovers to replace the cloverleaf exits likely would allow a smoother transition between the various routes. Perhaps widening and adding lanes in each direction is warranted. The city milled and paved Main Street between the 198 and East/West Ferry Street and made them one lane in each direction with bike lanes. Has any noticed a large influx of bicyclists? In any event the reconstruction from West Ferry to Goodell Street should remain 2 lanes to better handle the traffic heading in or out of the city. Hopefully the city will maintain the roads (including lane striping) once the work is complete. Right now, the lane striping is pretty much non-existent.
Notable Horses Mounted
Ghostzapper, Bernardini, Red Rocks, Stay Thirsty, Bellamy Road, Honor Code, Shaman Ghost, Cloud Computing.