Tag: Triple Crown

Trainer Jena Antonucci went to work as usual on Sunday morning, sending out a trainee to breeze a little past 8 a.m. (ET) at Belmont Park. The only difference in her morning routine was a sudden rush of reporters and photographers that gathered around a blanket of white carnations, clamoring to get a view of racing's newest millionaire, Arcangelo, the impressive winner of Saturday's Belmont Stakes (G1).

Antonucci, who won her first Grade 1 and became the first woman to train a winner of a Triple Crown race, said she is still processing the scale of the accomplishment 12 hours later.

“Everything is still a little bit numb on some levels, and I'm just trying to sort everything out,” Antonucci said. “I'm just grateful and appreciative of what he did for us yesterday and it's pretty cool.”

Arcangelo, a gray son of Arrogate owned by Blue Rose Farm, added his name to the storied list of Belmont Stakes winners with an inside trip under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who won his first Belmont and claimed victory in two of the three jewels of the Triple Crown this year after winning his first Kentucky Derby (G1) aboard Mage.

The next morning, Arcangelo napped on and off in his stall and awoke to nicker excitedly at other horses walking the shed row. Antonucci said all is well with the talented ridgling after his 1 1/2-length triumph.

“He's taking a nap and that's normal for him,” said Antonucci. “He's a hard sleeper.”

Arcangelo's team is no stranger to being patient and will continue that attitude going forward as a potential next start is planned. Antonucci said the $1.25-million Travers (G1) on August 26 at Saratoga Race Course could be included in the discussions, but stressed that she has made no firm plans yet.

“There is zero idea. We know what the calendar is and what's where, so we'll let him come out of this and tell us,” Antonucci said. “[The Travers] is on our radar, but the stakes schedule is there and if it's seven weeks until we run or 11 weeks until we run, we'll just back into it.”

A humble Antonucci said she is grateful that the timing of the Belmont unfolded in her favor as the late-blooming Arcangelo came into his own at the perfect time to land the historic victory.

“I'm glad it worked out in the calendar,” said Antonucci, with a laugh. “I haven't been able to organize what it means yet. It's special and if it gives other people a little more hope or a push, then that's amazing.”

The 155th running of the “Test of the Champion” marked the 50-year anniversary of Secretariat's electrifying 31-length Belmont triumph. One of the symbols used to honor 'Big Red' this year was the addition of blue roses to the traditional blanket of white carnations awarded to the winner, reminiscent of the famous blue and white checkerboard silks of Secretariat's owner, Meadow Stable.

Antonucci noted the parallels between Arcangelo and Secretariat, whose owner Penny Chenery was an outspoken advocate for the involvement of women in the sport.

“There were so many odd little nuances throughout the week that felt like we were where we were supposed to be,” said Antonucci. “I was not being cocky about it, but there was just too much about it that said it was his space and time to do it. Blue roses for Secretariat, like the name of the owner, we drew post 3 with the blue saddle towel. He wears silks with blue. And 50 years since Secretariat and all that Mrs. Chenery brought to this game. If you believe in any of that kind of stuff, you've got to lean into it. It gives you this big hug to be able to go and do it. Those are the things I've enjoyed this week.”

The win was especially sentimental for Castellano, who has lived in nearby Garden City for over 20 years and has ridden in the Empire State for just as long. The Venezuela native had finished second in the Belmont Stakes on three occasions, all by narrow margins, including a three-quarter length loss aboard Stay Thirsty to Ruler On Ice in 2011; a head defeat to Tonalist in 2014 when piloting 28-1 shot Commissioner; and a nose defeat to Creator in 2016 aboard Destin.

The 45-year-old veteran rider, a two-time Preakness (G1) winner, said completing a personal Triple Crown this year has been a defining moment in his Hall of Fame career.

“It's unbelievable,” said Castellano. “I'm blessed and thankful to win two Triple Crown races in one year. Everyone wants the Kentucky Derby and chases it, but I [feel that way] especially about the Belmont. This is the big one for us. This is the race my kids are asked about – 'Your dad is a jockey, has he won the Belmont?' I'm just so happy for my family and they can go around town and say their dad won the Belmont Stakes. You feel good when people recognize your hard work. Thank God I've been successful. I'm very happy. Jena and the team did such a good job with this horse.”

Like his Belmont victory, Arcangelo's trip to Grade 1 glory was attained with patient, even-headed handling, allowing him to take the time he needed to grow beyond the rangy yearling he was when purchased out of the Gainesway consignment for $35,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

“There are some things that are much bigger than you are, and you can't chase those things,” said Antonucci. “You've got to sit in the pocket, let things unfold and let things happen. I think when you do that, it makes it that much more amazing.”

With Arcangelo's dam being the Tapit mare Modeling, a $2.85-million 2-year-old at the 2014 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, his frugal purchase price was made even more baffling by the fact that his third dam, Better Than Honour, produced two Belmont Stakes winners in Jazil [2006] and Rags to Riches [2007].

Jon Ebbert, owner of Blue Rose Farm, said Arcangelo was an unexpected acquisition.

“I was actually looking to buy a horse for a pinhook, but I had to have him and I bought him even though I really wasn't looking for him,” said Ebbert. “I knew he was going to take time and be a project and was hoping he'd grow the right way. He came into his own a little quicker than I expected. It's been amazing. I thought he needed more time, but he told us differently.”

Ebbert explained Arcangelo is the perfect horse to bear his stable name, which is derived from the idea that campaigning horses like him is like catching lightning in a bottle.

“I needed a name, and I was thinking of roses for the Kentucky Derby, which is every owner's dream. A blue rose is impossible, it doesn't happen in nature,” explained Ebbert, who fell in love with horse racing as a child attending the Kentucky Derby. “So, it symbolizes trying to achieve the impossible. It was just meant to be.”

The post Antonucci Still Basking In History-Making Belmont Win, Has No Firm Plans Yet For Arcangelo appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Following is a collection of quotes from riders and trainers of non-winning entries in Saturday's Belmont Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, won by Arcangelo.

Todd Pletcher, trainer of runner-up Forte (No. 6) and third-place Tapit Trice (No. 2): “A mile and a half wasn't far enough [laughs]. I'm super proud of both horses. I knew we were asking a lot coming off the 10-week layoff [with Forte]. He got shuffled back a little bit and once he got him outside in the clear, he was still making impact at the end but he just ran out of time getting there.

“Tapit Trice got the trip we wanted. He got out in the clear and made that move and then he kept steadily grinding away. I was super happy with both efforts.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr., jockey of runner-up Forte (No. 6): “I had a good trip. I was able to get close and I kept the position for a while going into the backside. I gave him a little break and he came back and kept coming back. He ran great.

“I [lost a little position around the far turn] and then I had to go around. I felt like he wasn't going forward where I was, so I had to try something else. I was in the clear and he started going forward, and I said 'Alright, let's stay here.'

“I just had to go a little wider, I think the winner [Arcangelo] cut the corner. He was best today.”

Luis Saez, jockey of third-place Tapit Trice (No. 2): “Perfect trip. Broke from there and we were following the speed. Right at the three-eighths, I started making a little move. He kind of took a little while to get going, but I feel like he was coming. He tried. The winner, when he got there, Javier, he was gone. But Tapit Trice, he tried.”

Manny Franco, jockey of fourth-place Hit Show (No. 7): “I got a good trip. I just don't think we were good enough today.

“Hit Show did awesome. He broke good, it put me in a great position going into the turn. From there until the wire, he gave me his all.”

Flavien Prat, jockey of fourth-place Angel of Empire (No. 8): “I wish I could have waited a bit more, but a horse made a move on the outside and we had to go from there. But basically, no excuse.”

Bob Baffert, trainer of sixth-place National Treasure (No. 4): “It [the winner, Arcangelo] was an Arrogate. What did they say about Arrogate when he won [the Travers]? Arrogate steals the show. I'm so happy for her [Jena]. Johnny [Velazquez] said he could never turn him off today. He was really tense. He never got a chance to relax. He never shut it down. But he ran hard. He gave us a little bit of a thrill turning for home, but he was just wasn't… he didn't relax. He couldn't relax. He couldn't get him to turn off. He was on the bit the whole way.”

John Velazquez, jockey of sixth-place National Treasure (No. 4): “My trip was really good, he just didn't have anything going down the lane.”

Marcos Meneses, jockey of seventh-place Il Miracolo (No. 5): “The horse didn't break well and was uncomfortable the whole way. I couldn't put him in a good position.”

Joel Rosario, jockey of eighth-place Red Route One (No. 9): “It was a pretty good trip. He handled everything well, but it looked like maybe he was just a little tired today with the distance.”

Jose Ortiz, jockey of ninth-place Tapit Shoes (No. 1): “I was sitting right off National Treasure every step of the way, but honestly by the five-eighths pole I was running out of horse.”

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Legendary race caller Tom Durkin, who saw so many Triple Crown attempts fall short in his years as track announcer for the New York Racing Association, came out of retirement on Saturday and finally got to call a history-making Belmont Stakes on the FOX television broadcast when Arcangelo made a determined run down the stretch while making trainer Jena Antonucci the first female to saddle a winner of the Test of the Champion.

Under jockey Javier Castellano, the gray colt by Arrogate slipped through along the inside rounding the far turn, engaged front-running Preakness winner National Treasure and, in Durkin's words, was “fiercely determined” in the stretch run to win this 155th Belmont by 1 1/2 lengths in 2:29.23 for the mile and a half contested on a fast main track. The time was 5 1/5 seconds slower than the track record of 2:24 set by Triple Crown winner Secretariat 50 years ago in 1973.

It was Castellano's first Belmont win, the only Grade 1 race in New York that had eluded him in a Hall of Fame career. Similarly, five weeks ago, Castellano ended a career drought when guiding Mage to an upset victory in the Kentucky Derby.

Forte, the champion 2-year-old of 2022 who was scratched from the Kentucky Derby with a foot bruise on the morning of the race, rallied to get second as the 2-1 favorite, a nose in front of Todd Pletcher stablemate Tapit Trice. Brad Cox runners Hit Show and Angel of Empire finished in a dead-heat for fourth, followed by National Treasure, Il Miracolo, Red Route One and Tapit Shoes.

Arcangelo, who came in to the Belmont off a hard-fought victory in the G3 Peter Pan, paid $17.80 to win.

Owned by Jon Ebbert's Blue Rose Farm, Arcangelo was winning for the third time in five starts in a career that began last December at Gulfstream Park. Arcangelo finished second that day, fourth a month later, then left the maiden ranks with a 3 1/2-length win at the South Florida track March 18, getting a solid Beyer Speed Figure of 84 that horseplayers noticed when they bet him down to 5-2 odds in the Peter Pan.

The Belmont, with its $1.5 million purse, was the first Grade 1 and by far the richest race victory for Antonucci, who has had 1,914 starters and 160 winners since taking out her trainer's license in 2010. Strongly committed to Thoroughbred aftercare, Antonucci marches to a different drummer than many trainers found at the top of the standings or signing million-dollar tickets at Thoroughbred auctions.

“Goals and success are defined very interestingly, not only in racing but also in life,” Antonucci told the Paulick Report's Chelsea Hackbarth following the Peter Pan. “Without getting overly philosophical, you've gotta be really careful to make sure you're setting goals that represent who you are.

“My goal has always been to do the best we can with the horses that we have, and really, just building good relationships with good people. Then, at the end of the day, whatever that yields is what it yields.

“It's easy to get caught up in the chase for success and lose sight of what really matters. For me, it's about doing what I love, and doing it in a way that I can be proud of. If the winner's circle comes, that's just a bonus.”

In the press conference following her history-making Belmont win (it was also the first training victory by a female in a Triple Crown race), Antonucci was asked about what the feat means to her.

“They say there's no crying in baseball, but they never said that about horse racing,” an emotional Antonucci said. “Probably just overcoming adversities.  You go through growing and you go through a career and you take it on the chin and you fight for that spot, and you feel you have to prove your worth. Horses don't care, they don't care who you are.”

“I am immensely grateful,” she continued. “I cannot say that enough. A lot of stars have aligned. This crazy guy gave the girls a chance, and there's a lot of credit to that man right there (Ebbert) because his phone rang and rang: move the horse or to buy the horse. Give it to the guys. No offense to them. I love them all. I can go up and say hi to any one of them. But he gave a girl a chance.”

Antonucci met Ebbert at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale where Ebbert signed the ticket for Arcangelo (“archangel” in Italian) for just $35,000. Consigned by Gainesway, the colt was produced from the Tapit mare, Modeling, whose second dam was Better Than Honour, dam of back-to-back Belmont winners Jazil and the filly Rags to Riches.

Arcangelo went for his early training to an Ocala-Fla., farm operated by Antoncucci and her business partner, Katie Miranda, both of whom came into racing from the hunter-jumper world. Antonucci took her time with Arcangelo and credits Ebbert for being patient with the horse's progress.

Antonucci is the 11th woman to run a horse in the Belmont. Dianne Carpenter came the closest to a win, finishing second with Kingpost behind Risen Star in 1988. Others that helped pave the way were Sarah Lundy (Minstrel Star, 11th, 1984); Patricia Johnson (Fast Account, fourth, 1985); Shelley Riley (Casual Lies, fifth, 1992); Cynthia Reese (In Contention, ninth, 1996); Nancy Alberts (Magic Wesiner, fourth, 2002); Jennifer Pedersen (Artax Too, 11th, 2002); Linda Rice (Supervisor, fifth, 2003);(Max Player, third, 2020) Alexis Barba (Make Music for Me, ninth, 2010); and Kathy Ritvo (Mucho Macho Man, seventh, 2011).

“It's the horse and I am so grateful,” Antonucci said. “I will forever be indebted to his honesty to us, his heart, and he is why you get up seven days a week.”

The post Arcangelo Puts Trainer Antonucci In History Books With ‘Fiercely Determined’ Victory In 155th Belmont Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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