Javier Castellano to serve 3-day suspension for 'careless riding' at start of 2027 Saratoga meet

Jockey Javier Castellano returns to the jockeys' room after a race at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 20 in Saratoga Springs. (Skip Dickstein)

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, who is set to ride The Puma in Saturday's Travers Stakes, will serve a three-day suspension at the start of the 2027 Saratoga Race Course meet for his actions during a race this past weekend, the state Gaming Commission announced Friday.

Castellano was suspended for "careless riding" aboard And One More Time during the 10th race, the Grade 2 Ballston Spa Stakes , this past Saturday at Saratoga.

And One More Time won the race by a neck over Sunlit Uplands as part of a tight, three-horse finish that also included Deep Satin. According to the Equibase chart of the race , And One More Time "began to come outwards under just left handed urging while being flashed a right handed crop, herded out Sunlit Uplands four paths and Segesta three paths from the eighth pole to inside the sixteenth marker, got corrected with urging from both hands and then continued being shown the crop through to the wire holding on by a neck when keeping a straight course."

There was a stewards' inquiry into the stretch run and a claim of foul by Sunlit Uplands' rider, John Velazquez, alleging interference by And One More Time, but the result was allowed to stand following review.

Castellano missed most of the Saratoga meet's first month after suffering a back injury in a four-horse fall that resulted in a lengthy suspension for jockey Paco Lopez that will also be served during the 2027 Saratoga meet . Gaming Commission rules require suspensions to be served during the same meet at which the infraction occurred, but do not necessarily have to be served during the same calendar year.

Javier Castellano rides Travers entrant The Puma in a morning workout at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 21 in Saratoga Springs. (Skip Dickstein)

The 48-year-old Castellano hit a career milestone on Wednesday when his victory aboard Starship Lizzy gave him his 6,000th career win. That landmark win also required a stewards' inquiry before Castellano's victory was allowed to stand.

On Saturday, Castellano will ride The Puma for trainer Gustavo Delgado in the Travers. The native of Venezuela is the most successful rider in Travers history, with a record seven wins in Saratoga's signature race.

There’s more to Albany with the Times Union. Subscribe today for just 25¢. This article originally published at Javier Castellano to serve 3-day suspension for 'careless riding' at start of 2027 Saratoga meet .

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