Javier Castellano

Multiple Grade I-placed 'TDN Rising Star' Ferocious (Flatter) was out on track at 7:30 a.m. at Keeneland following the first harrow period and had Javier Castellano in the irons for the morning session as he continued preps for his scheduled start in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Castellano had spent nearly two months on the sidelines with a fractured hand, but made a trip from New York to Lexington specifically for the half-mile work. In the first move since Ferocious finished second in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, the...

Javier Castellano and Frankie Dettori have both set tentative dates for their returns after sustaining injuries over the past month, according to Daily Racing Form. Castellano, who sustained a fracture to his hand during a fall in the GIII Saranac Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 30, was cleared to ride Tuesday and will mark his return at Aqueduct Oct. 3, according to his agent P.J. Campo. Undergoing surgery Sept. 4 to insert three pins to secure his hand, Castellano had the pins removed Tuesday. Dettori, who suffered a shoulder dislocation at...

In the GIII Saranac Stakes for 3-year-olds over the grass at Saratoga on Friday afternoon, West Hollywood (Uncle Mo) was the winner, but the race was marred by the first racing fatality of the summer season as The Big Torpedo (Big Brown) had to be euthanized on the track, according to details provided by a release from NYRA. Owned by Thomas Albrecht, Vincent Fusaro and James Klein, The Big Torpedo (#5)--who was in the process of making every pole a winning one--sustained a catastrophic injury to his left front leg...

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack handicaps Saturday's five Grade I races at Saratoga, headed by the 155th renewal of the Travers. GI Sword Dancer (Race 9) - Can't envision a scenario where the Sword Dancer doesn't go through either of the Godolphin/Charlie Appleby runners Measured Time (GB) (#2) or Silver Knott (GB) (#4), who both enter off impressive graded wins over the Saratoga lawn. Silver Knott is already proven at this 1 1/2-mile trip and has never been in better form, and we still may not have seen the...

With the connections of the well-reputed 'Grizzley' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) opting to wait another week to face the boys in the GI Travers S., Power Squeeze (Union Rags) took full advantage of the Kentucky Oaks winner's absence and stormed home a narrow winner in the 10-furlong GI Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Saturday. MGSW Chatalas (Gun Runner) broke quickly, going to the front with a host of pursuers at her heels. Meanwhile, Power Squeeze tried to establish a clear path from Post 3, but was squeezed back as America's Vow...

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano and Classic-winning trainer Jena Antonucci will be signing posters of 2023 Eclipse Award winner Arcangelo (Arrogate) at Saratoga Race Course Saturday at 11 a.m. Proceeds will benefit the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Renowned artist Greg Montgomery has produced exclusive limited-edition poster prints featuring Arcangelo, Castellano, and Antonucci for the Museum. Each autographed poster is $20. Any additional items fans would like signed will also be $20 per autograph. The Museum's open-air satellite facility is located behind the racetrack's grandstand just...

The money came late for Ferocious (c, 2, Flatter--Napier, by Midnight Lute), who was available at 4-1 for a good deal of the betting, and when all was said and done, was the 3.45-1 favorite making his career debut in Saturday's sixth race at Saratoga. And the money proved right on, as the colt exploded through the final eighth of a mile to become a no-brainer 'TDN Rising Star'. Things did not go especially well at the break for the $1.3-million OBS March purchase, as he reared slightly, costing him...

Exiting a distant third to divisional leader Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) in the GI Acorn Stakes at Saratoga June 7, Power Squeeze called on her considerable class to hold off odds-on Sidamara to take out Monday's rescheduled GIII Delaware Oaks. One of the first away, the baldy-faced chestnut was fourth of the five runners turning up the backstretch and was trapped out five deep passing the half-mile. Asked to take closer order while deep on the turn, Power Squeeze was off the bridle as longtime leader Ringy Dingy (Dialed In)...

Hammered down to 1-5 to take her current winning streak to three and to remain perfect in two starts on the grass, Fred Hertrich and John Fielding's Whiskey Decision (Into Mischief) almost certainly punched her ticket into graded stakes competition with a thoroughly dominating victory in Monday's Christiana Stakes at Delaware Park. With Javier Castellano at the controls for the first time, the homebred was away alertly and took up a spot just off the flank of 137-1 chance Nay Slayer (Friesan Fire) for the first half of the nine-furlong...

2nd-BAQ, $100k, Alw, 3yo/up, 1m, post time: 2:06 p.m. EDT The word was out on DONEGAL MOMENTUM (Uncle Mo) for his local debut over six muddy furlongs May 16, and he ran to the money, shooting clear in the stretch to graduate by a whopping 8 1/4 lengths and earning a strong 92 Beyer Speed Figure to become a no-brainer 'TDN Rising Star'. A $375,000 Keeneland September purchase in 2022, the dark bay colt looks to negotiate a mile from the inside gate Thursday afternoon. Javier Castellano has a return...

With two Grade I winners and two 'TDN Rising Stars' comprising half the GIII Salvator Mile S. field at Monmouth Park Saturday, it was Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables LLC's Bright Future (h, 5, Curlin--Sophia's Song, by Bellamy Road)--one of the former Grade I winners who was also coming off a seven-month layoff--who got the win after a tight trip on the rail. Fellow GISW Shirl's Speight (Speightstown), who has done his best running on the lawn but was third in this race in 2022, tired to sixth. The...

Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso), who had finished a disappointing seventh as the 5-2 second choice in the GII Wood Memorial S. when last seen Apr. 6, restored his reputation by prevailing in a prolonged five-way battle for the lead and kicking well clear from a quintet of accomplished 3-year old rivals in the NYRA Bets Pegasus S. Running with the addition of blinkers for his fourth career start, the grey broke well under Javier Castellano and dueled for the lead through fractions of :23.35, :46.94 and 1:11.38. Turning for home,...