Castellano’s big day comes up short
HALLANDALE — Javier Castellano had an extraordinary Saturday at Gulfstream, winning six races, including two graded stakes. However, the memory likely to endure is the one that got away. Castellano’s mount in the $ 400,000 Fountain of Youth, General a Rod, came up a head short as Wildcat Red got the best of a head- bobbing finish.
To compound Castellano’s disappointment, he rode Wildcat Red to an easy victory in the colt’s most recent start, the Hutcheson Stakes, and trainer Jose Garoffalo tried to get him to stay aboard. Castellano’s decision to jump to General a Rod, who he had never ridden, gave Luis Saez the opportunity to ride Wildcat Red in the Fountain of Youth, and if he wants, Garoffalo said, in the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby. The 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points that went to the winner of the Grade 2 stakes essentially ensures Wildcat Red an opportunity to Run for theRoses.
Saez and Castellano went at it fromthestart ofthemileanda- sixteenth stakes as if it was amatchrace. By the time they cleared the first turn, Wildcat Red and General a Rod had left the rest of the 12- horse field in their wake, with their closest pursuers more than three lengths behind. There was never more than a head separating the top two and each had the lead at various points in the race.
Often in these circumstances dueling leaders burn each other out but the Gulfstreamtrackwas very kind to front- runners all afternoon. It was a virtual replay of the Gulfstream Derby, although General a Rod got the best of abobbingfinish after another long duel that day. “This time I got lucky,” Garoffalo said.
Saez attributed the victory to Wildcat Red’s heart more than luck. “At the top of the stretch, IknewIwas going to win because my horse tries so hard. He fought and never let the other horse pass him.”
Castellano took the defeat graciously. “Itwas a competitive race. I had a lot of chances to win. The horse gave me everything he had. Unfortunately, he just got beat by the bob.”
TopBilling, the 2- 1favorite, rallied for third, two lengths back, asWildcat Red crossed the finish line in1: 41.85.
Earlier Castellano guided undefeated Onlyforyou to a wire- to- wire 2 length win in the $ 200,000, Grade 2 Davona Dale, the filly counterpart to theFountain ofYouth. In winning for the fourth time, Onlyforyou, who crossed the wire in 1: 43.71, keptintactherstreakofnever having another horse closer than two lengths of her at the finish.
In the $ 150,000, Grade 3 CanadianTurfStakes, Castellano worked out a perfect stalking trip on the rail for Reload, who overtook pacesetting Mr. Online in midstretchandwentontowinby a neck.
Castellanoalsowasaboard Normandy Invasion, wholed the field to midstretch in last year’s Kentucky Derby, as he returned to the races as if he will be a major factor in the older horse division this season. Coming off a ninemonth layoff, Normandy Invasion destroyed five rivals, winning by almost eight lengths and setting a track record for a mile, 1: 33.13.
“I had so much horse,” Castellano said. “I asked him a little bit and he took off.”
The Sunday feature, the $ 75,000 Ladies Turf Sprint, a five- furlong sprint on the grass, drew a field of 10 headed by last- out winners Runway Ready and Believe in Charlie.
The approach of spring and longer days will bring a later post time, 1: 05 p. m., startingWednesday.