Jockey Javier Castellano delays return to race-riding

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Jockey Javier Castellano will not return to race-riding this week as originally planned, his agent, P.J. Campo, said Sunday.

Castellano, attempting to come back from a fractured hand suffered in late August, was given clearance to return to riding but, after breezing horses Saturday morning at Belmont Park, Castellano did not feel 100 percent and will not ride Donegal Momentum in Thursday’s $135,000 Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct. He did not accept mounts for Friday at Aqueduct or for Saturday at Keeneland as was planned.

“He breezed a few horses and inflamed some of the ligaments [in his hand,]” Campo said. “He’s not 100 percent, he’s getting there, but we talked it over and I said if you’re 80 percent I don’t want you to go out there, it’s not the right thing to do.”’

Campo said there is no timetable for Castellano’s return.

“It could be a week, it could be three weeks,” Campo said.

Castellano was injured in a spill during the stretch run of the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 31.

Among the horses he was scheduled to ride this coming week was Ferocious, the expected favorite for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. Luis Saez will pick up that mount, according to part-owner Ramiro Restrepo.

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