Equestrian With $388,945,381 Career Earnings Gets a Major Victory Atop Locally Bred Horse at Secretariat Stakes’ Debut in Virginia

Every equestrian race comprises three elements: a favorite, a challenger, and a dark horse. The crowd delights in seeing the favorite secure a victory. The reaction is mixed when the challenger emerges victorious. However, the crowd erupts into a deafening frenzy when a dark horse causes an unexpected upset. Unprepared for this turn of events, the spectators witnessed one of the most remarkable upsets of the year.

Legendary equestrian jockey Javier Castellano is known for breathing magic into every horse he rides. Castellano has always embraced challenges, and the race on August 12, 2023, provided him with exactly what he needed. Despite riding a rookie racehorse, Castellano demonstrated why he is considered one of the greatest.

Equestrian conquers all odds with a ‘Gigante’ factor

Javier Castellano is among the only two equestrian riders to win the prestigious Eclipse Award four times in a row. The ace jockey started his career back in 1997 and currently ranks number two in terms of all-time earnings. Castellano has a humble personality despite his staggering stats. Castellano triumphed in the Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes at Colonial Downs and won the race by the margin of a neck. He raced atop Virginia-bred racehorse Gigante, trained by Steven Asmussen. Castellano praised his three-year-old ride for the victory: “He broke so well from the gate and put me in a good position. I just took my time and rode with a lot of patience.”

This was a significant victory for Gigante, who boosted its stats. Castellano patiently conserved Gigante’s energy until it crossed the half-mile mark. Once the checkpoint was reached, he charged for the lead while reserving a full-throttle push for the end. The nail-biting race ended with the duo of Gigante and Castellano maintaining the lead by a neck and causing a major upset at Colonial Downs. While Castellano played a big role in winning the race atop the rookie, the humble equestrian gave credit to trainer Steve Asmussen for the win.

Castellano gives credit to trainer Asmussen

Steve Asmussen is one of the greatest equestrian trainers to ever grace the sport. He has a 37-year-long career and has trained some of the best horses in the world. Castellano thanked Asmussen for the race and said, “I feel blessed Asmussen (trainer Steve) gave me the opportunity to ride that horse. I think I got along pretty good with him in the post parade. He acted very professionally.” 

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Javier Castellano has secured victory in 5,590 races throughout his career, with 95 of them achieved in the span of just 8 months of 2023. Additionally, he contributed to the ratings and earnings of Gigante, who triumphed in its third race at Colonial Downs. This significant upset has effectively conveyed a message to all riders that the veteran jockey should never be underestimated.

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