Arcangelo looks sharp in five-furlong work for Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Less than three weeks out from his engagement in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes here on Aug. 26, Arcangelo put in his most serious move for the race Sunday morning, breezing five furlongs in 1:00.31 followed by a monster gallop out that Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch timed in 1:53.36.

“Pretty,” is how trainer Jena Antonucci described it. “Nice, big gallop out. He did everything we asked him to do.”

It was Arcangelo’s fourth work since he won the Belmont Stakes on June 10.

Jockey Javier Castellano was up for Sunday’s work, which came following the 8:45 a.m. renovation break on an extremely busy morning. Arcangelo went in fractions of 12.25, 24.22, 35.73, and got his final quarter in 24.58. After the wire, Arcangelo went seven furlongs in 1:26.18, a mile in 1:39.03 and was up 1 1/8 miles in 1:53.36.

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“This was a serious work, obviously, it’s the last big prep,” Antonucci said. “The last one will be for sprinkles on top of the sundae, hopefully.”

“He went really well,” Castellano said. “Galloping out he was amazing; that was the best part of the work.”

Castellano has still not publicly committed to ride Arcangelo in the Travers. He is also the rider of Mage, the Kentucky Derby winner, who is also targeting the Travers.

Castellano is 3 for 3 on Arcangelo and 1 for 4 on Mage.

Antonucci is not pressing Castellano for an answer.

“We’re going to give him the time he needs, the space he needs and it will all come together,” she said.

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