Javier Castellano (born October 23, 1977) is a Venezuelan

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

in American

Thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and Horse industry, industry involving the Horse racing, racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter know ...

. Castellano won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey four times in a row from 2013 to 2016. In 2023 he won two legs of the American Triple Crown–the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

and the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...

–aboard different horses.

Career

Castellano began his riding career in 1996 at Santa Rita and La Rinconada racecourses in Venezuela. In June 1997 he moved to the United States where he rode at race tracks in southern

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

until 2001, when he moved north to race on the

New York State New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

racing circuit. He had his first major wins in 2004, on Frank Stronach's colt Ghostzapper and won several major races including the 2004 Breeders' Cup Classic, earning 2004

Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year The American Award for Horse of the Year, or simply Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to san ...

and other honors. In 2006, Castellano rode Bernardini for Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Darley Racing, winning the

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

, the

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Midsummer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds accor ...

, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Castellano received the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, each year having the highest purse winnings of any jockey in North America. In 2013, he finished the year with purse earnings of over $26.2 million, surpassing the single-season record previously held by Ramon Dominguez in 2012. He passed 4,000 North American wins in February 2015, and by the end of the year had broken his own single-season winnings and earnings record. In 2023 Castellano won two legs of the Triple Crown on two separate horses, winning aboard Mage in the

and Arcangelo in the

. It was Castellano's first career victory in each race. Castellano was inducted into the

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred horse racing, Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and Horse trainer, trainers. In 1955, the museum ...

in 2017.

Personal life

Racing runs in Castellano's family. His father, who died in 2000, his uncle, and a brother all have been jockeys. He considers his father to be the biggest influence on his career. He and his wife, Abby have three children. His father-in-law is Terry Meyocks, national director of the Jockeys' Guild. His younger brother Abel Castellano, Jr. (born 1983) is also a jockey and rode his first winner on September 22, 1999, at Santa Rita Race Course in Venezuela. In 2000 he began riding in the United States at

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States. It is among the most important venues for ...

.Delaware Park

Year-end charts

References

Javier Castellano's profile at the NTRA

External links

Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Castellano, Javier 1977 births Living people Sportspeople from Maracaibo Eclipse Award winners Venezuelan expatriate sportspeople in the United States Venezuelan jockeys