Castellano savors career win No. 5,000

ELMONT, N.Y. – Javier Castellano became the 34th jockey to win 5,000 career races in North America when he guided Runaway Lute to a three-quarter-length victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Hudson Handicap at Belmont Park.

The victory was the second of three straight stakes wins on the card for Castellano, a four-time Eclipse Award-winning rider who will turn 41 on Tuesday. He also won the Mohawk on Offering Plan for win No. 4,999 and the Ticonderoga on Fifty Five for win No. 5,001.

“I feel great and very excited,” Castellano said. “I’m very thankful to be here in New York to win my 5,000th race. First, I have to thank God for giving me the skill and opportunity to ride horses. I’ve been very lucky in my life and career.”

Castellano, a native of Venezuela, came to the U.S. in the summer of 1977 and rode at the South Florida tracks regularly. He moved his tack to New York in 2001 and won three meet riding titles at Aqueduct, six at Belmont, and two at Saratoga.

He won four consecutive Eclipse Awards as North America’s leading rider from 2013-16 and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2017. Among his most notable accomplishments is winning a record six Travers Stakes, the signature race at Saratoga, including a victory with Catholic Boy in August.

While Castellano has won 404 graded stakes, there is one race that has eluded him.

“My goal is the Kentucky Derby,” said Castellano, who is 0 for 12 in that race. “It’s the dream you always try to chase … try to win the Kentucky Derby.”

Castellano is also 0 for 12 in the Belmont Stakes, but he has won two runnings of the Preakness.