By Alan Carasso
Four-time Eclipse Award winner Javier Castellano, fresh off a pair of victories on Breeders' Cup weekend, will square off with 11 of the world's most talented jockeys when he takes part in the Longines International Jockeys' Championship at Hong Kong's iconic Happy Valley Racecourse Wednesday, Dec. 5.
Castellano, 41, will be making his second appearance at the IJC, having failed to register a point in the series in 2006, but much has changed in the years since. The native of Maracaibo, Venezuela, led all North American jockeys by earnings each year from 2013-2016 and was recognized with an Eclipse Award for his achievements in each of those seasons. In 2013, he rode the winners of a career-high 362 races, good for earnings of $26.2 million, surpassing the single-season mark set by his compatriot Ramon Dominguez in 2012. He rode his 4,000th career winner in early 2015, closing that calendar year with over $28.1 million in purse money, and earned his 5,000th career victory when partnering with Runaway Lute (Midnight Lute) to win the Hudson H. at Belmont Park Oct. 20. Castellano is the winner of 10 Breeders' Cup races to date, including this year's Juvenile Turf Sprint with Bulletin (City Zip) and the GI Dirt Mile with City of Light (Quality Road). A two-time Preakness-winner (Bernardini, 2006; Cloud Computing, 2017), he was third aboard Audible (Into Mischief) in this year's GI Kentucky Derby.
The task facing Castellano is a tall one given the depth of quality in the competition. Zac Purton, currently atop the jockeys' premiership in Hong Kong, is back to defend his title, having earned his first victory 12 months ago, while Hugh Bowman, the 2016 IJC winner and reigning Longines World's Best Jockey, saw a 35-day suspension sliced to 23 days and will be permitted to participate. Bowman is best known as the regular rider for Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}). Dual IJC hero Ryan Moore and Silvestre de Sousa, who was just crowned champion rider for a third time, represent Britain, while Colin Keane (IJC debut) and Christophe Lemaire, will fly the flag for Ireland and Japan, respectively. The legendary Yutaka Take returns to Hong Kong for the IJC, as does Frenchman Mickael Barzalona.
Three locally based jockeys will complete the line-up for the IJC. With Purton already guaranteed a spot by virtue of his position as reigning leading domestic rider, two berths will go to the next two highest-ranked jockeys in Hong Kong, while the final spot will be awarded to the leading 'homegrown' rider (graduate of the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Apprentice Jockeys' School). Those spots will be finalized following the Happy Valley meeting Wednesday, Nov. 21.
The Longines IJC takes place over the course of four races, where points (12-6-4) are awarded for first through third place. The jockey who accumulates the most points earns a check for HK$500,000.
“The Longines International Jockeys' Championship is not only the richest jockey challenge in the world, but also the most exciting and the most keenly sought,” commented Andrew Harding, executive director of racing for the HKJC. “Each December, the HKJC is able to attract the world's best riders, who ensure this is a world-class sporting competition. We are able to pit established champions against talented rising stars, and it all takes place at Happy Valley, our spectacular floodlit circuit, on a night which is eagerly anticipated.”
WATCH: Castellano discusses the opportunity to ride in the IJC
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