Castillo to ride at Churchill after Oaklawn closes
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Isaac Castillo will be based at Churchill Downs for the first time in his career following the close of the Oaklawn Park meet, agent Dylan Fazio said Monday.
Castillo is the fifth leading rider at Oaklawn, which closes May 6. Fazio said Castillo will start riding at Churchill on May 11.
“We’ve had some people approach us and thought it was the right time to take a jump over there,” said Fazio.
Castillo has won 40 races from 318 starts this meet at Oaklawn, for mount earnings of more than $2.2 million. Last month, he won the Purple Martin Stakes on Key of Life. He has mounts in two of the three stakes to be run Saturday at Oaklawn.
Castillo, 25, won the first race of his career on May 29, 2017, at Monmouth Park. He has been a regular at the New Jersey track, where in 2021 he finished second in the standings. Castillo has wintered at Oaklawn the last few years and has been utilized by many of the meet’s leading trainers.
Fazio said Castillo and his wife, Natia, welcomed their first child, son Paxton, last Wednesday. He was born in Hot Springs.