Fifty years after Secretariat made history with the fastest running time in the Belmont Stakes, more horse racing history was made Saturday.
Jena Antonucci, the trainer of Arcangelo, won the 155th Belmont at Belmont Park. She is the first woman to train the winner of a Triple Crown race.
Owners, jockeys and other women in horse racing have worked their way into the winner’s circle across the decades. Penny Chenery, Secretariat’s owner; Marylou Whitney, a prolific breeder and stakes winner; and Julie Krone, the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race, are among the most notable. But there was still a glass ceiling that had yet to be broken.
Until Saturday, when Antonucci broke through.
“It’s a true blessing, an amazing gift and (I’m) just so immensely grateful,” she shared in a post-race interview with Fox Sports’ Tom Rinaldi. “Never give up, and if you can’t find a seat at the table, make your own table. Build your team and never give up. People see you, just keep working your butt off.”
MORE: Belmont Stakes results, finish order & highlights from full 2023 race
Here’s what you need to know about Antonucci as she enters an elite group of her own:
Who is Jena Antonucci?
Antonucci, 47, is a native of South Florida. She has been around horses since she was 3….
