Jena Antonucci became the first female trainer to win a Triple Crown race, as her colt Arcangelo won the Belmont Stakes on Saturday and brought down the curtain on a tumultuous five-week span of racing.
Jockey Javier Castellano, who won the Kentucky Derby aboard Mage, skillfully guided Arcangelo along the rail and burst past Preakness winner National Treasure and held off Forte in the final strides.
Antonucci's historic triumph came on the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's famed win at Belmont for owner Penny Chenery, one of horse racing's best-known female figures.
The Florida-based Antonucci goes into the Triple Crown record books and will sure to be mentioned alongside Julie Krone who is the only woman jockey to have won one of horse racing’s three big races.
Krone’s Colonial Affair won the 1993 Belmont Stakes won the 1993 Belmont Stakes to become the first, and so far only, female jockey to win the third jewel of “The Test of the Champion.”
Arcangelo paid $17.80 for a $2 win bet. Forte placed second and Tapit Twice came in third.
As Arcangelo was holding off the hard-charging Forte, Antonucci was screaming and jumping with every stride before nearly falling to her knees in joyful relief.
Moments after her unprecedented victory, Antonucci told other would-be history makers to never lose hope.
"Never give up. If you can’t find a seat at the table, make your own table," she told Fox Sports. "Build you team and never give up. You are seen. People see you, just keep working your butt off."
The Belmont was one the last trophies not on the mantel of the Hall of Fame jockey Castellano, The New York -based rider said this triumph had special value.
"It means a lot to me," he said in the winner's circle. "My kids grew up in New York. We live in New York City here for 22 years. My neighbors always root for me. Now we have time to celebrate."
National Treasure set the pace for most of the race. Tapit Shoes provided some pressure on the inside rail while the majority of the pack stayed together. Red Route One was behind the pack.
Arcangelo made a big move right before the final stretch, getting the inside rail and then passing up National Treasure. It was all Arcangelo down the stretch, however, with a winning time of 2:29.23.
Arcangelo went into Belmont on a roll with a win at Gulfstream Park in March followed by victory at the Peter Pan Stakes in May. Antonucci clearly did great work with the horse, although that's been the norm for her work for quite some time. She already sported an impressive resume with 1,914 starts since 2010 (160 wins, 238 second-place finishes, 231 third-place results).
Antonucci entered the Belmont Stakes as the 11th woman to ever train a horse running the event. Now she has made history 50 years after Secretariat's tremendous record-breaking run at Belmont to close the most remarkable Triple Crown effort in the sport's timeline.
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