Aqueduct notes: Castellano could get Eclipsed by Stevens

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It has been a year of many firsts for Javier Castellano. He hopes it culminates with his first Eclipse Award as North America’s champion jockey.

Entering the final four weeks of racing in 2013, Castellano is first in the nation in races won with 335 and first in purse earnings with $25,234,475. In the purse-money won category, Castellano is only $400,377 behind the single-year record set last year by Ramon Dominguez, winner of the last three Eclipse Awards, who was forced to retire after a spill in January.

Though he rides his last day here on Wednesday before heading to Florida, Castellano will undoubtedly be this year’s leading rider in wins on the New York Racing Association circuit. His 237 combined wins at Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga through Sunday were 44 more than his nearest competitor, Irad Ortiz Jr.

“I’ve been very appreciative of the opportunities I’ve been given, and I am thankful to my agent Matt Muzikar, who did a great job handling my business,” Castellano said.

Castellano made the most of his opportunities this year. Last Saturday, he won three of the four graded stakes run at Aqueduct – the Remsen, Demoiselle, and Comely – to give him 23 graded stakes wins (fourth in the country) and 59 stakes wins (first) on the year.

Castellano, 36, has been a finalist the last two years for the Eclipse Award but believes now it’s his time to take one home. However, there is the specter of Gary Stevens, a Hall of Fame Jockey who has made national headlines with his comeback to race-riding at the age of 50 following a seven-year absence. Stevens has won only 66 races, but 22 came in stakes, including the Preakness aboard Oxbow, the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Mucho Macho Man, and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Beholder.

“I give him all the credit in the world,” Castellano said. “He make a comeback, he make a great story. But on my side I’ve been working so hard to get to this point, I’ve never been to that level. To me it’s like, ‘Man, I got it.’ I’d like to enjoy the moment.”