IN what continues to be another trying year for American racing, Arcangelo remains one of the sport’s most uplifting stories.

Bought for just $35,000 at Keeneland, he was a surprise winner of the Belmont Stakes in June for his little-known trainer Jena Antonucci. Arcangelo followed that up last Saturday at Saratoga when landing the $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

Down in trip from 12 furlongs to 10, the roan son of Arrogate handled the muddy surface better than most to win by a length from Disarm, with Tapit Trice in third and Forte in fourth. Preakness winner National Treasure came home fifth and the Kentucky Derby winner Mage finished last of the seven runners.

Aracangelo was ridden by 45-year-old Javier Castellano who is enjoying a resurgence this season, having landed his first Kentucky Derby aboard Mage at Churchill Downs back in May.

But this Travers win was all about Jena Antonucci, who was the first female trainer to win a Triple Crown race and is now the first woman to train a Travers winner in 150 years.

Antonucci discussed her training methods in a Horse Sense feature in The Irish Field on July 1st, explaining how she likes to give horses all the time they need to mature. Arcangelo did not race at two years and has been very carefully campaigned this season, with the blessing of his owner Jon Ebbert of Blue Rose Farm. This was the horse’s first start since the Belmont.

“I get a lot of flak for that, still,” Antonucci said, in reference to the horse’s two and a half month break since the Belmont.

“It just never was a layoff in my mind with this horse. I understand the traditionalists of this sport are always going to view gaps in that manner. This horse has had his entire career that way because Jon wants this horse to be brought along slowly, correctly and be given the time he needs to grow up.”

The Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita looks the obvious target for Arcangelo now and he is clear favourite for that race at around 5/1 but Antonucci is not ready to commit to that yet.

Mid-week, the trainer indicated that she would let the horse decide what comes next but, if the Breeders’ Cup is the plan, she would be inclined to ship her stable star to California sooner rather than later.