Javier Castellano

Johnny Velazquez, who has served as Chairman of the Jockeys' Guild for more than 20 years and as Co-Chair with Mike Smith since 2018, will be stepping down from that role, the organization announced Thursday. The members have elected Smith and Javier Castellano as Co-Chairs; Joe Bravo, James Flores, and Julien Leparoux as Co-Vice Chairs; Tyler Gaffalione as Secretary; and Julien Leparoux as Treasurer. In addition, Alex Birzer, James Graham, Rodney Prescott, and Velazquez will serve on the Board of Directors. Velazquez will also remain actively involved with the Guild...

A very live 5-2 chance from a 9-2 morning line, Mike and Katherine Ball homebred Chief Wallabee (c, 3, Constitution--A La Lucie, by Medaglia d'Oro) traveled into the race strongly approaching the stretch and pounced on favored The Puma (Essential Quality) with just under a furlong to travel and proved a very impressive winner of what appeared to be a very hot Gulfstream maiden Saturday afternoon. The effort makes him the newest 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard. Having hinted at considerable ability in his morning trials, including a bullet...

The $300,000 Mouttet Mile Invitational at Caymanas Park in Jamaica will air on America's Day at the Races for the third consecutive year this Saturday, the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano is scheduled to compete in the race for the first time, having secured the mount on Rideallday (Vekoma). In addition to on-site analysis from Andy Serling and Maggie Wolfendale of the Mouttet Mile, Chairman's Plate Invitational and Bruceontheloose Sprint Trophy, America's Day at the Races, a national telecast produced by NYRA in...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - George Weaver, Javier Castellano and Belgian (Beau Laim) combined to make all the right moves Thursday that yielded an 11-length victory in the sixth race at Saratoga Race Course. When a mid-afternoon downpour forced the $100,000 maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds to be moved from the Mellon Turf Course to the main track, five of the nine horses entered were scratched. Weaver said he never considered taking Belgian, who he trains for Newtown Anner Stud Farm, out the contest. "He's handy enough on the dirt,"...

NEW KENT, VA-It wasn't as much of an upset as it felt like but Charlene's Dream (Qurbaan) proved a determined winner on the front end Saturday to take the GII Beverly D. Stakes at Colonial Downs. In a race billed as largely between GI Gamely Stakes winner Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) and Beach Bomb (Saf) (Lancaster Bomber), it was the Ed Moger Jr. trainee who stole away as the third choice in the wagering for owner Domeyko Taylor, LP. Having raced on all three surfaces in now her...

Bring Theband Home (Into Mischief) is a Saratoga boy through and through, giving the field the slip and strolling home to claim the GII Troy Stakes while also keeping his perfect record at the Spa intact. With the exception of his shortened sophomore season in 2023, the Mark Casse runner had made a return to Saratoga every year since his juvenile season, and every year returned to his homebase in Florida with a win to his credit. The most recent appearance was July 4 when he took the Harvey Pack...

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Early Sunday morning, trainer Tom Morley walked down his shedrow at his barn on the Saratoga backstretch. He stopped in front of a stall occupied by a curious looking dark bay colt named Donegal Momentum (Uncle Mo). Morley snuggled close to the 4-year-old, hugged him, kissed his neck. He has affection for all his horses, but, after what Donegal Momentum went through on Saturday, he deserved an extra dose of tender love and care. During Saturday's one-mile GIII Kelso Stakes on the Inner Turf course, Donegal Momentum...

Dreams came true in the GIII Penn Mile Stakes Friday evening when Dream On (c, 3, Not This Time-Mamma Kimbo, by Discreet Cat)--winner of Aqueduct's Woodhaven Stakes in April--split horses in late stretch after trailing throughout to capture the first graded victory of his career. Cairo Caper (Cairo Prince), a stakes winner at two who finished seventh in the Woodhaven, got up for second while Out On Bail (Tiz the Law), who has never been off the board in eight career starts, held third after pressuring the frontrunning 3-5 favorite...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The GII Pat Day Mile S. appeared to be loaded with early speed on paper, but it was 13-1 longshot Macho Music (Maclean's Music) who proved fastest of all. Exiting an 11 1/4-length, front-running romp in the state-bred restricted Sophomore S. going seven furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs Mar. 30, Macho Music was ridden aggressively by Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano and cleared the field of nine leaving the chute over the sloppy going. He took ownership of the Pat Day Mile from there and sped...

John Velazquez and Mike Smith were elected co-chairmen of The Jockeys' Guild when the organization hosted its annual assembly virtually Jan. 14. Javier Castellano, Julien Leparoux and James Flores were elected co-vice chairmen, Tyler Gaffalione as secretary and Julien Leparoux as treasurer. In addition, Joe Bravo, Drayden Van Dyke, James Graham and Rodney Prescott will serve on the Board of Directors. Senate members for the guild in 2025-2026 are: Eastern region: Joe Bravo, Kendrick Carmouche, Javier Castellano, Frankie Dettori, Reylu Gutierrez, Flavien Prat, Sheldon Russell, Drayden Van Dyke and John...

7th-GP, $94K, Msw, 3yo, f, 5 1/2f (AWT), 3:32 p.m. ET MISCHIEF IN MOTION (Into Mischief) will make her debut for Live Oak Plantation and trainer Mike Trombetta after bringing $525,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. The 9-5 morning-line favorite is drawn widest of all in post seven and will be ridden by Javier Castellano. The bay hails from the female family of champion Covfefe (Into Mischief) and GISWs Acoma (Empire Maker) and Arch (Kris S.). TJCIS PPS

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...