Sports

Top Jockey Rides Into Nassau for Vital Cause

Castellano makes plea for disabled jockeys at Plainview's OTB Race Palace.

With three of his colleagues caught in traffic, Jockey Javier Castellano took hold of the reins. 

It happens all the time in thoroughbred racing, but this particular traffic jam took place on the Long Island Expressway. Five top jockeys were en route to Plainview's OTB Race Palace for a meet-and-greet in advance of Saturday's 145th Belmont Stakes. Two of them made the home stretch and Castellano found an opening and carried the day.

It was a serious subject: 

"I want to thank you and OTB for helping with the fund," said Castellano, referring to donations being offered to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. "There are many jockeys who have suffered injuries who benefit from this money."

In fact, the 501(c)(3) charity provides financial assistance to about 60 former jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries. Since its founding in 2006, the fund has disbursed over $3 million to riders who have sustained paralysis or brain injuries. Many of them face a lifetime of challenges from a sudden spill on the racetrack.

"That's why we are here," said Castellano, who will ride Revolutionary Saturday in the $1 million feature and the likely third-choice in the betting. "Many of us have been hurt. We are here for them."

Nassau OTB presented a check for $4,000 to the fund during the autograph session that followed.

Castellano and Revolutionary will face one of the jockeys stranded in a nightmare Long Island rush hour: Jockey Joel Rosario and his Kentucky Derby winner Orb, who scored a come-from-behind victory four weeks ago. Orb is expected to face Preakness winner Oxbow in Saturday's showdown in Elmont.

Orb never fired in the Preakness, finishing a disappointing fourth in Baltimore. Oxbow, with veteran Gary Stevens in the irons, ran on the lead most of the way.

Castellano said he's got a real chance aboard Revolutionary in Saturday's wide-open race. The 145th renewal of the mile-and-and-a-half classic could draw 15 horses and more than 50,000 people to Belmont Park.

"He's a nice horse and very competitive, but (none of these 3-year-olds) has ever run a mile and a half," he said. "He's a come-from-behind horse and in this race, that's what it will take to win."  

Revolutionary was third in the Derby under jockey Calvin Borel. The colt's trainer, Todd Pletcher, chose to skip the Preakness and gave Saturday's mount to Castellano. 

Tell us: Who do you like in Saturday's Belmont?


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