Saratoga: Castellano gets on Winter Memories for Garden City

Javier Castellano will replace Jose Lezcano aboard Winter Memories when that 3-year-old filly makes her next start in the Grade 1 Garden City Stakes at Belmont Park on Sept. 17, trainer Jimmy Toner said.

Lezcano had ridden Winter Memories in her previous seven races, winning five, including four graded stakes. But in the Grade 2 Lake Placid here on Aug. 21, Lezcano had Winter Memories in traffic and she ended up finishing fourth.

“He’s done well with her,” said Toner, who trains Winter Memories for John Phillips. “It’s just one of those things where the owners feel like they wanted to make a change. Castellano’s riding very well right now. He’s on top of his game and we just wanted to jump on the bandwagon.’’

Castellano was expected to get acquainted with Winter Memories on Friday, when he is scheduled to be aboard for a workout over the Oklahoma turf course.

Courageous Cat to Woodbine Mile

Grade 1 winner Courageous Cat will make his next start Sept. 18 in the $1 million Woodbine Mile, trainer Bill Mott confirmed on Wednesday. After electing to skip the Del Mar Mile, Mott’s choices for Courageous Cat were the Woodbine Mile in Canada or the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 8.

After winning the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park on July 2, Courageous Cat returned to Belmont Park, where he worked three times before shipping to Saratoga late last week to get out of path of Hurricane Irene.