The spring belonged to Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano.
He hopes to keep the momentum going for the rest of the summer.
The 45-year-old Castellano knocked down some personal barriers during the Triple Crown season when he won his first Kentucky Derby (G1) with Mage and his first Belmont Stakes (G1) with Arcangelo .
Castellano had gone 0 for 15 in the Run for the Roses before this year and 0 for 14 in past Belmonts.
Mage and Arcangelo could be on a collision course at the end of the meet at Saratoga Race Course in the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) Aug. 26. Castellano is not going to worry about that right now.
"It's a good position to be in," Castellano said while making the backstretch rounds on a recent Saratoga morning. "We'll see what happens."
Castellano is off to a solid start at this meet. Through three days of racing, he has three wins in 22 rides with two seconds and six thirds.
A year ago, Castellano had a rejuvenation, of sorts, as he came off of a 2021 meet that saw him win just 13 races. Whispers began that he was done, but Castellano knew better. He rebounded with a 25-win Saratoga summer last year and now is in peak riding form.
"I work hard and I am dedicated," Castellano said. "I have proved I belong. I love what I do and I am here to win races and be competitive. A lot of people are giving me support and my agent (P.J. Campo) has been working hard getting me horses to ride. Everything is working out good."
He won his first stakes race of the meet on opening day when he guided Becky's Joker to an upset (21-1) win in the Schuylerville Stakes (G3).
Castellano won't take anything for granted. He had a rough patch in 2020 when going through a bout of COVID-19 and also having arthroscopic surgery on his right leg near his hip.
"When my business slowed down, I think people question you, like any other sport," he said. "They say, 'Let me see how you come back; let me see how good you are. Everything worked out last year, but this year is better."
