Javier Castellano, the sacred fire still burning

At 48, he is ready to take on the demanding Gulfstream Park Championship Meet, where he sets his sights on reaching 6,000 career wins in his 30th season as a rider

Javier Castellano, for more glory / ADAM COGLIANESE / NYRA

HALLANDALE BEACH, Florida (Special to Turf Diario).- With the same passion that carried him to the top and his inner engine still burning as in his years of absolute dominance, Javier Castellano is already focused on what will be another season at Gulfstream Park, the epicenter of the American winter and the stage where he wrote some of the most brilliant chapters of his career. At 48, far from contemplating retirement, the Hall of Famer is going through a period of personal and professional renewal, fueled by his family environment and a motivation that remains fully intact.

Castellano is less than 100 wins away from reaching the 6,000-victory milestone, a historic figure achieved by only 21 jockeys in the history of American racing. His career earnings already exceed $413 million, ranking him second among active riders, behind only fellow icon John Velazquez.

The Gulfstream Championship Meet, set to begin on November 27, once again stands as his main target. He led the standings there for five consecutive seasons between 2011 and 2016, peaking at 132 wins in a single meet. “All the best jockeys end up in South Florida in the winter. That’s where you want to be if you love this sport,” said the Venezuelan rider, who this year decided to arrive earlier than usual in order to build momentum and position himself from the very start.

In recent years, Castellano used to stay longer in New York to spend the holidays with his family, but this time he made a different choice. “My kids are getting older, they have their school activities, and I felt it was the right moment to come back earlier, start from the beginning, build momentum and look for the right horses,” he explained.

One of his main driving forces remains the search for promising 3-year-olds, that yearly project which keeps the dream alive season after season. Gulfstream will once again be the launch pad, with key Derby preps such as the Holy Bull (G3), the Fountain of Youth (G2) and the Florida Derby (G1) shaping the road to the Kentucky Derby. “That’s what keeps you alive. Watching the young horses develop and feeling that one of them could be special… that’s the motivation,” he admitted.

His most resounding resurgence came in 2023, when he completed his personal Triple Crown by winning the Kentucky Derby aboard Mage (Good Magic) and the Belmont Stakes (G1) with Arcangelo (Arrogate), two horses he began riding during the winter at Gulfstream. “I found those horses in Florida. Even today it’s hard to believe I won two Triple Crown races in the same year with horses I first rode in their early stages,” he recalled.

Professionally, he is also going through an important transition, as earlier this month he joined forces with his brother-in-law and new agent Kevin Meyocks, who will handle his mounts both in Florida and New York. Together they have already celebrated major successes, including the Hill Prince Stakes (G3) with Tiz Dashing (Tiz the Law) for Sackatoga Stable and trainer Barclay Tagg, and they are targeting a long-term partnership.

Beyond the numbers, titles and major moments, there is now also a strong emotional component driving him forward: his 13-year-old son Brady, who has begun to truly grasp who his father is in the world of racing. “He asks me what horses I’m riding and wants to see me win… and that gives you a different kind of push. When your family looks at you like that, it makes you want to keep fighting,” Castellano said.

A four-time consecutive Eclipse Award winner as champion jockey, multiple Breeders’ Cup winner and a central figure in the biggest racing festivals of the last two decades, Castellano sums it up simply:

“I don’t feel like this is ending anytime soon. I feel good, I train every day and I’m still hungry. I see myself riding for another five years, competing at the highest level.”

In an increasingly competitive sport, the Venezuelan not only remains relevant—he continues to be a benchmark. And at Gulfstream, as so many times before, he is ready to ignite his fire once again.