Trainer Todd Pletcher, jockey Javier Castellano and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey were honored by Gulfstream Park Friday for leading their respective standings during the 2015-16 Championship Meet.
Pletcher, 48, ended Friday's program tops in wins (61) and purse earnings ($3.04 million), giving him an unprecedented 13th consecutive training title. He also set Gulfstream's overall record surpassing Arnold Winick, who won 12 titles between 1959 and 1973.
“When you're able to string something together like that it makes it a little more meaningful,” Pletcher said. “We appreciate how hard any of them are to win and it's a great team effort. A lot of people doing a lot of work and having a lot of good horses is the main thing.”
Eight of Pletcher's wins came in stakes, including the GI Donn H. and GIII Hal's Hope with Mshawish (Medaglia d'Oro); GII Gulfstream Park H. with Blofeld (Quality Road), GIII W.L. McKnight H. and H. Allen Jerkens S. with Charming Kitten (Kitten's Joy); GIII Marshua's River S. with Sandiva (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}); and GIII Fred Hooper S. with Tommy Macho (Macho Uno).
Pletcher also became just the 10th trainer to reach 4,000 career victories with Eagle Scout (Tapit) in Gulfstream's fifth race Mar. 18.
“It's been a great meet for us from a number of standpoints,” Pletcher said. “Any time you can come in and win the Donn, that's a special race. We love Gulfstream. Gulfstream has been good to us over the years and we're happy to win another title.”
Castellano, 38, had 112 wins at the end of Friday's racing, good for his fifth consecutive title, each with at least 100 wins. He also was first with $3.8 million in purse earnings, and was honored with his third straight Eclipse Award as North America's leading jockey during a Jan. 16 ceremony at Gulfstream Park.
“It's a great achievement,” Castellano said. “I didn't expect to be in that role for so many years. I always had the dream to be leading jockey at Gulfstream Park. It's a very prestigious honor to participate with the best jockeys in the country. It's a tough colony, they come from everywhere. I have a lot of support and I've been very lucky in my life. I've been able to ride a lot of good horses.”
Fourteen of Castellano's wins have come in stakes, including four of nine Claiming Crown races which kicked off the Championship Meet Dec. 5. Among other wins were the GII Davona Dale S., GIII La Prevoyante H., GIII Marshua's River S., GIII Hal's Hope S., GIII Palm Beach S. and Sunshine Millions Distaff.
“Gulfstream Park and South Florida have been so good to me. It's where I took my first steps when I came to this country,” he said. “All the owner and trainers gave me a lot of support and my agent, Matt Muzikar, did a fantastic job to handle my business the way he does.”
The Ramseys earned their fourth straight owner's title, leading the standings with 29 wins and $882,239 in purse earnings. They bred and own Charming Kitten.
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