Jena Antonucci

Last updated
Jena Antonucci
Jena Antonucci (2023 interview) 01.png
Antonucci in 2023
OccupationTrainer
Born1975or1976(age 47–48)
Career winnings$7,385,806 [1]
Career wins165+ (ongoing) [1]
Major racing wins
American Classics:

Graded Stakes Wins:

Significant horses
Arcangelo, Doctor J Dub

Jena Antonucci (born 1975 or 1976) is an American thoroughbred horse trainer. She is best known as the first woman to train a winner of an American Triple Crown race, having conditioned Arcangelo to victory in the 2023 Belmont Stakes. [2] [3] [4]

Antonucci learned about training thoroughbred horses under the guidance of Hall of Fame Trainer D. Wayne Lukas after riding and training show horses at a young age. [5] [6] She won her first career race as a trainer at Tampa Bay Downs on March 7, 2010. [1] Her first career graded stakes winner was Doctor J Dub, who won the Turf Monster Stakes at Parx Racing in 2016. [7]

In 2023 her three-year-old Arcangelo won the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park prior to competing in the Belmont Stakes, where he was Antonucci's first ever Grade 1 starter. [4] Arcangelo won the Belmont and then went on to win the Travers Stakes, making Antonucci the second female to win the Travers in its 154-year history. [8] As of her 2023 Travers victory, Antonucci has won 165 races with career earnings of over $7 million. [1]

Antonucci was awarded with the 2023 Big Sport of Turfdom Award by the Turf Publicists of America, [9] presented to individuals that enhance coverage of Thoroughbred racing through cooperation with media and racing publicists.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Trainer Profile - Jena M. Antonucci". Equibase. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  2. ↑ Drape, Joe (10 June 2023). "Arcangelo's Belmont Victory Makes Trainer First Woman to Win a Triple Crown Race". The New York Times . Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  3. ↑ Canavan, Tom (10 June 2023). "Arcangelo wins Belmont Stakes to make Jena Antonucci 1st female trainer to win a Triple Crown race". Associated Press . Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  4. 1 2 Grening, David (10 June 2023). "Belmont: Arcangelo's upset makes Antonucci first female trainer to win a Triple Crown race". Daily Racing Form . Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  5. ↑ Canavan, Tom (8 June 2023). "With Arcangelo, Jena Antonucci to become the 11th female trainer to have a horse in Belmont Stakes". Associated Press . Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Tidwell, Sara (10 June 2023). "Who is Jena Antonucci? Meet the trainer who made history in 155th Belmont Stakes with Arcangelo". The Sporting News . Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  7. ↑ "Doctor J Dub Breakthrough Horse for Antonucci". The Blood-Horse. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  8. ↑ Grening, David (26 August 2023). "Arcangelo takes command with Travers Stakes triumph". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  9. ↑ Hegarty, Matt (20 November 2023). "Antonucci to receive Big Sport of Turfdom Award". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 20 November 2023.


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