‘He’s Flourished Here This Summer’: Arcangelo Records Final Work For Travers

Blue Rose Farm's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets-winner Arcangelo posted a five-furlong breeze Wednesday in 1:01.63 over the Saratoga Race Course main track under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano in preparation for the Aug. 26 Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers.

Trainer Jena Antonucci said she was pleased with the work, which served as a maintenance breeze after he covered the same distance in 1:00.21 on Aug. 6.

“It went super. It was everything we were looking for,” Antonucci said. “The big heavy lifting was in the prior work, so we'll just keep his feet on the ground for the next 10 days and keep him happy.”

The son of Arrogate was an emphatic 1 1/2-length winner of the 12-furlong Belmont Stakes on June 10, proving the distance was no problem with a strong turn of foot from 2 3/4 lengths off the pace. He will turn back a quarter-mile in the Travers, a scenario Antonucci said will be well within his wheelhouse.

“It's not often you can say you're on the cutback at a mile and a quarter,” said Antonucci, with a laugh. “He's flourished here this summer and continues to mature. We just take it one day at a time.”

In addition to the Belmont, Arcangelo scored by a head over Bishops Bay in the Grade 3 Peter Pan in May at Belmont. Bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation, Arcangelo was a $30,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.