Sports

Jockeys Fight in Winner’s Circle at Breeders’ Cup

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Jockeys Calvin Borel and Javier Castellano turned the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs into an impromptu boxing ring, trading punches moments after the opening race of the Breeders’ Cup on Friday afternoon.

Borel charged Castellano shortly after the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon, angry over a dangerous mid-race move that endangered Borel and fellow rider Martin Garcia.


The two jockeys were near the weigh-in station next to the winner’s circle when things grew heated.

The 43-year-old Borel pointed a finger at the 33-year-old Castellano. The 5-foot-1, 110-pound Castellano then took a swing at Borel, four inches taller than his rival. Security officials struggled to separate the two, holding an enraged Borel who urged them to let him go back at Castellano.

It took several minutes for Borel — his eyes bugging out and his face a deep shade of red — to be restrained.

The fight was a decided step out of character for the affable Borel, who has become a fan favorite at Churchill Downs for his rail-hugging rides and his ability to turn long shots into winners.

Though jockeys have been known to tangle on the track during races, the postrace dust-up was jarring in a sport known for monied owners, big hats, seersucker suits and big smiles in the winner’s circle.

Not this time as a brawl more suited for a bar broke out in the track’s most hallowed spot.

A few feet away from the chaos, Eldaafer owner Mike Iavarone held the championship trophy as security officials tried to restore order. Eventually, Borel’s wife, Lisa, and brother Cecil each grabbed an arm and walked the three-time Kentucky Derby winning rider back to the jockeys’ room, where he flung off his silks.

During the race, Castellano moved into the path of Romp and Martin Garcia, causing the horse to stumble. Borel and A.U. Miner were jostled as a result. Prince Will I Am later was disqualified in the race won by Eldaafer.

“I had pressure outside me,” Castellano said. “I went for a hole and they said I took his lane. I don’t know. I don’t know.”

Castellano returned to the track minutes later to ride in the Juvenile Fillies Turf while Borel remained in the jockeys’ room to collect himself.

Prince Will I Am, who finished second behind winner Eldaafer, was disqualified and placed 10th while A.U. Miner was bumped up to third following an inquiry.

Borel was scheduled to ride in the Juvenile Fillies and the Ladies’ Classic later Friday afternoon. He was decidedly more relaxed 20 minutes after the fight as TV cameras caught him relaxing in the jockeys’ room.

Comments (36)

  • Reagan was Right
    Posted on November 9, 2010 at 12:41pm

    LOL the ideal Navy Seal… 5′ 8″
    never underestimate us little guys you never know
    BUD/S Candidate

    A candate is just that.

    I knew of hundreds of “tough” guys that washed out of BUD/S.

    It has little to do with physical conditioning.

    It is more mental.

    If you can not comprehend that now,you will be wringing that bell after week two.

    Report Post » Reagan was Right  
  • SATX 19
    Posted on November 7, 2010 at 9:12pm

    Randy Newman sang it best,
    “They got little baby legs
    That stand so low
    You got to pick em up
    Just to say hello
    They got little cars
    That go beep, beep, beep
    They got little voices
    Goin’ peep, peep, peep
    They got grubby little fingers
    And dirty little minds
    They’re gonna get you every time
    Well, I don’t want no short people
    Don’t want no short people
    Don’t want no short people
    ‘Round here

    Report Post » SATX 19  
    • TrueGrit
      Posted on November 8, 2010 at 7:23am

      I’d rather have a short guy with guts and brains around…
      than some fat slob, 350 pounder with a tee shirt that says ‘Go Team” that has beer drull on the front.
      Have you see the customers at Walmart lately…wisea@@

      Wolverine:)

      Report Post »  
  • RickWS
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 8:55pm

    Calvin is a peaceful man, but the other jockey’s move could have killed someone.

    Report Post » RickWS  
  • zagfan
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 1:36pm

    Grew up around Jockeys my whole life and I have to say people don’t realize how really strong they are. Big surprises come in small packages when it comes to a fight. They have both upper body strength and leg strength.

    Horse racing is dangerous for the Jockeys and the horses. I’ve witnessed many falls over the years and have seen deaths and injuries to all involved. It’s not like a car race where you have something around you… I have total respect for the job the Jockeys do.

    Report Post » zagfan  
  • kathleenhenthorn
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 10:36am

    Castellano, could have caused harm not only to the other riders, but also to the horses. Racing is a dangerous sport. When jockey’s decide to make dangerous moves on the track it can lead to injury or death. Borel, had every reason to be pissed and go after Castellano. I’m a avid racing fan. I hope the persons in charge suspend Castellano for this dangerous move. You would be pissed also, if someone had just endangered your life!

    Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 10:11am

    Calvin Borel would kill that guy, let them fight!

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • felina g
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 9:34am

    Wonder what Mr. Ed had to say about this travesty ?

    Report Post »  
  • EqualJustice
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 9:30am

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lujax6gMAqU&feature=fvhl
    The other one was removed..

    Report Post » EqualJustice  
  • TrueGrit
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 9:25am

    BTW
    FireFight
    Back in the good old days… you would have been too tall at 5′8″ for the mission at hand.
    But, we did need someone to run ‘point’ and ‘rake’.

    Good luck candidate.

    Wolverine

    Report Post »  
  • poverty.sucks
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 8:56am

    During the race, Castellano moved into the path of Romp and Martin Garcia, causing the horse to stumble.

    We’d see a similar altercation if Boehner had reached over Pelosi for the gavel.

    Report Post » poverty.sucks  
  • Steve Smith
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 7:02am

    Video has been removed.

    Report Post » Steve Smith  
  • political-realist
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 6:23am

    JUST SAYING ….

    Since people were already in the betting mood, I think the Breeders Cup Organization missed a Golden “Money Making” Opportunity.

    They should of put the two jockeys in seperate corners and allow a 15 minute pause before the continuing action resumes.

    They should have announced on the PA System for all bettors to go to the ticket counter and place their bets on their favorite jockey and then let them fight it out.

    Report Post »  
    • missionarydad
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 10:21am

      Never take short people lightly, my brother was one of the smallest in his high school. He was runner up State champion wrestler, he was known far and wide as the best, but “the fix was on” only made him worthy of second place. He was like 5′ 2 116lbs. He could beat everyone on his wrestling team including the heavyweights and was team captain. He was also known around the high school as the kid you just didn’t “mess with”. Like he always said dynamite comes in small packages.

      Report Post »  
  • N37BU6
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 5:18am

    Breeders cup… sounds like fun.

    Report Post » N37BU6  
  • Jimmers46
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 2:53am

    Banta roosters always fight each other LOL!

    Report Post »  
  • Okpulot Taha
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 2:31am

    Ah shoot, those boys were just horsing around.

    Okpulot Taha
    Choctaw Nation

    Report Post »  
  • emertz8413
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 2:28am

    From what I understand, horse racing is very dangerous, for the jockey and the horse. Someone should be fined!

    Report Post »  
  • AzDebi
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 1:42am

    I have a race horse who crashed here in Arizona…ruined…he’s lucky to be alive…he’s now retired in my back yard…

    Report Post » AzDebi  
    • untameable-kate
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 11:15am

      Thank God for people who retire horses and don’t just put them down. I was boarding a horse out west of Phx and when she got hurt the person who owned the property had her put down without even calling me. He said that since she would have been unrideable he thought I wouldn’t care. He was wrong, my mom has property up north where I would have retired her.

      Report Post » Untameable-kate  
    • Rowgue
      Posted on November 7, 2010 at 11:49pm

      It’s not really as simple as somebody being callous or not. A horse with a serious enough leg injury will almost certainly die. Horses need to be able to stand for their blood to circulate properly. If they can’t then circulation suffers and their organs begin to shut down. They suffer horribly and eventually die as a result. They also need to be able to evenly support their weight on all four legs. If they favor a leg and put too much weight on others they can develop laminitis which can lead to founders. The race horse Barbaro suffered this very fate not long ago, and died as a result.

      Sure there are probably people that will just put a horse down because it’s now useless to them whether vets think it can recover or not. But these days that doesn’t happen very often. The overwhelming majority of horse euthenasia that‘s done today is performed in circumstances where it’s certain the horse will die as a result of the injury to avoid the suffering of the animal before it finally succumbs to the inevitable.

      Report Post »  
  • AzDebi
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 1:40am

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lujax6gMAqU

    Report Post » AzDebi  
  • Rowgue
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 1:34am

    It’s not a laughing matter. The horses stumbled badly and it‘s a miracle they didn’t go down in a pile. It’s an event that very possibly could have cost the lives of one or more people and or horses. You probably wouldn’t find it very humorous if you were the 100 pound jockey that very nearly ended up under 1200 pounds of horse.

    Report Post »  
  • joseph Fawcett
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 1:33am

    I am sorry they took the vidio down, I would have liked to seen it. Horse racing is BIG and heated business.

    http://www.josephfawcettart.com western art

    Report Post » joseph Fawcett  
  • Luckywon
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 1:31am

    Remember, Remember, the 5th of November. The gunpowder, Treason and Plot. I can think of no reason the gunpowder treason, should ever be forgot.
    Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

    Report Post »  
  • LUDWIKA BRONISLAWA
    Posted on November 6, 2010 at 1:14am

    Short people are almost always pissed at the world! lol I know, not ALL short people, but jockeys are funny!

    Report Post » LUDWIKA BRONISLAWA  
    • CatB
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 1:42am

      Darn I don’t get to see the midget wrestling .. it has been removed …. I agree about short people but they usually pick a fight with someone tall and then bi t c h when they Lose!

      Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 1:44am

      NEW LINK …

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8fMJF_leNA

      Report Post »  
    • Firefight
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 2:02am

      LOL the ideal Navy Seal… 5′ 8″
      never underestimate us little guys you never know
      BUD/S Candidate
      http://www.sealchallenge.navy.mil

      Report Post » Firefight  
    • Firefight
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 2:13am

      btw that was pretty funny but they are really lucky no one was killed or seriously hurt in the crash they should have been praising God rather than resorting to violence.

      Report Post » Firefight  
    • Robert W
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 2:39am

      At least they didnt have turkeys in their pants.

      Report Post »  
    • Polwatcher
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 5:57am

      Who said that short people have napolianic complexes.

      Report Post »  
    • mizflame98
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 9:06am

      I just can’t help it:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFmv22ghzQw

      Report Post » mizflame98  
    • TrueGrit
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 9:16am

      The VC didn‘t think it too damn funny when ’THIS LITTLE GUY‘ came crawling towards them with 2 45’s. We short folks have been given qualities you jelly roll Lidwika‘s just can’t match.
      Still short, still able to do the job…
      I really do get pissed when Lidwikas mouth off at people of small height but great virtue and talent.

      Wolverine
      5th RC SOCOM

      Report Post »  
    • WORKS FROM HOME
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 10:40am

      “5-foot-1, 110″ Thank god for milk.
      IF you have the time you need to watch your reps’ every move and make sure people know about what they are doing. If a couple of people in each city got together to watch their reps they could do incredible work.
      learn how to blog for free and use google adsense make a passive income with it.
      http://whamhost.info/

      Report Post » whamhost.info WORKS FROM HOME  
    • untameable-kate
      Posted on November 6, 2010 at 10:55am

      I have a friend who is only 5′ 2″ and he is the biggest man I know. Can’t judge books by thier covers, I love short guys. In fact I know another man who is 6′ 8″ and he is a turd.

      Report Post » Untameable-kate  

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