Arcangelo works half-mile at Saratoga, his first breeze since Travers
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Arcangelo, the pro-tem leader of the 3-year-old division, worked a half-mile in 47.62 seconds Tuesday morning over Saratoga’s main track, his first breeze since his victory in the Grade 1 Travers on Aug. 26.
It was the first of what is expected to be five breezes Arcangelo will have leading up to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.
Under exercise rider Robert Mallari and over a fast main track, Arcangelo was timed by New York Racing Association clockers in splits of 23.80 seconds for a quarter and 47.62 for the half. Clockers had him galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.80 and six furlongs in 1:15.
“Wasn’t looking for anything eye-popping, just a maintenance get-back-into-a-routine kind of thing,” trainer Jena Antonucci said. “Robert was very pleased and very happy and took hold of him a little bit earlier than he thought; horse was looking to do more.”
Antonucci had considered waiting until Friday to work Arcangelo, but moved the work up due to concern about wet weather coming to the area this week. She also wanted to work once over the main track, which closes after training on Saturday.
Antonucci said Arcangelo would have one more work at Saratoga - over the Oklahoma training track - before shipping to Southern California in late September/early October. Antonucci said Arcangelo would have three works at Santa Anita.
Antonucci said Arcangelo came out of the Travers with good energy, which he displayed in his morning gallops the first week after beating Disarm by one length for his fourth consecutive victory.
“I was thankful he finally settled back in, he came out of the race a little bit sharp,” Antonucci said. “I was like ‘I need you to take a breath’ and he has and he has trained on well and is continuing to do so.”
Arcangelo’s victory in the Travers followed his 1 1/2-length score in the Belmont Stakes to ascend to the top of the 3-year-old division. The top choices for the BC Classic figure to be 3-year-olds, including Grade 1 Pacific Classic winner Arabian Knight and Pacific Classic runner-up and Grade 1 Haskell winner Geaux Rocket Ride.
Meanwhile, the 4-year-old White Abarrio, the dominant winner of the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 5, left New York Tuesday for Southern California where he will continue to prepare for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. On Sept. 6, White Abarrio worked a half-mile in 47.25 seconds at Belmont Park.
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