Belmont Day Was One For the Record Books
Before we get to this year’s Belmont Stakes and the inspiring story of Jena Antonucci we first have to acknowledge the greatest side show in New York racing history, and that is the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s Belmont and Triple Crown. This is geared more toward its longevity than the three races themselves, as we have already had numerous recollections of the 1973 Test of the Champion, a title that was never more fitting than that year. ~ Steve Haskin
Belmont Day Was One For the Record Books
By Steve Haskin
Photo courtesy of Adam Coglianese/NYRA
The smoke cleared, the sun came out, and racing once again shined. The conditions were perfect for the stars to light up the sky and did they ever, beginning with the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s historic Triple Crown sweep. With Big Red’s presence everywhere, from Jocelyn Russell’s magnificent statue on display to Penny Chenery’s daughter Kate Tweedy calling “Riders Up,” what better time to showcase racing’s heroes old and new and show the world how special this sport can be and how deeply it can touch people.
And what an appropriate day for history to be made, as small-time trainer Jena Antonucci became the first female to saddle the winner of a Triple Crown race, defeating the likes of superstar trainers Todd Pletcher, Bob Baffert, Steve Asmussen, and Brad Cox with her late-developing colt Arcangelo, a handsome son of the late Arrogate, who owner Jon Ebbert plucked out of the Keeneland September yearling sale for a paltry $35,000 because the colt was immature and was dealing with sesamoid issues.
Whether you believe in the spiritual world literally, figuratively, or just poetically, how could you better explain the momentous achievement by Antonucci this year of all years with the presence of Penny Chenery hovering over a packed Belmont crowd engulfed in the memory a very special lady and her history-changing horse? As Kate Tweedy said, “Mom was present in so many ways.”
Antonucci actually has Penny beat in one aspect of their lives. She began riding horses at the age of 3, while Penny waited until the ripe old age of 5.
And hours before, we saw the heartwarming saga of Cody Dorman continue with another sensational and emotional victory by last year’s Secretariat.com Vox Populi Award winner Cody’s Wish in the Metropolitan Handicap. Lady’s Day actually started earlier when the speedy filly Caravel beat the boys in the Jaipur Stakes. And even though he was defeated we have to salute the hard-luck Forte for bouncing back after an injury and an unprecedented 10-week layoff and turning in one of the most impressive losing efforts seen in a long time.
But before we go into detail on Jena Antonucci, Arcangelo, and this special weekend of racing we have to give our final thoughts on Secretariat and how he helped turn Belmont Park into hallowed ground with a performance that still leaves racing fans of all ages awestruck whether they first saw it 50 years or 50 minutes ago.
The Spirit of Secretariat as Strong as Ever
“Every record has been destroyed, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted…History has stopped.”
Although George Orwell’s words were meant as a foreboding message, we can’t help but use them to describe the aftermath of the 1973 Triple Crown and its effect on the history of Thoroughbred racing.
But this column is not about the 1973 Belmont Stakes or the Triple Crown as a whole. It is about the legacy the three races have left, to the point where they have become a piece of Americana, a Norman Rockwell painting that depicts a part of our culture. But Rockwell would not have painted Secretariat in all his magnificence. He would not have shown him thundering down the Belmont Park stretch seemingly miles ahead of his beleaguered foes. Instead he would show an elderly man in the stands hugging his grandchild, grateful for the enduring moment the two have been able to share. He would show a mass of jubilant faces looking up in admiration and gratitude at a former Denver, Colorado housewife flailing her arms about in rapturous celebration, fully aware of the masterpiece her father had created and entrusted to her.
Whether one realized it at the time or not, when Secretariat crossed the finish line in the Belmont Stakes a staggering 31 lengths in front and stopped the teletimer in a record-shattering 2:24, history for all intents and purposes stopped.
Secretariat in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont had, as Orwell would say, destroyed every record, had rewritten every history book; had repainted every picture in our mind of what the perfect racehorse and true greatness were. Yes, history had stopped in the sense that the American Thoroughbred, at all levels of greatness, would spend the next half-century futilely chasing the records Secretariat had obliterated in the spring of 1973. In short, history has not been rewritten since.
In fact, the chasm between Secretariat’s records and their closest pursuers is so vast it is highly doubtful they will ever be threatened. As a result, all records and accomplishments of the past 50 years must be measured against each other and no longer against Secretariat. For example, the four Triple Crown winners since 1973, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, American Pharoah and Justify, would have been beaten 20 lenghts, 14 lengths, 13 lengths and 20 lengths, respectively, by Secretariat. Even the second two fastest Belmont winners in the history of the race, Hall of Famers Easy Goer and A.P. Indy, would have been beaten 10 lengths by Big Red. And no horse has threatened their time in the past 31 years.
Not only does Secretariat’s Kentucky Derby record of 1:59 2/5 still stand, only one winner in the last 50 years has even broken the 2:00 mark and that was 22 years ago. Big Red’s Preakness time of 1:53 is all the more amazing considering that his explosive and seemingly suicidal last-to-first move on the first turn would have wiped out any other horse.
So having read and watched all the 50th anniversary tributes to Secretariat and his iconic history-changing Triple Crown sweep just remember how far Big Red separated himself from all other horses in the history books and how he transcended the sport the way Man o’War, the first Big Red and larger than life figure, did in 1919 and 1920.
If I could go back in time in the world of horse racing it would be to June 9, 1973 watching Secretariat “move like a tremendous machine.” I knew I was watching something special at the time, but I didn’t know just how special it would be for all time.
Here we are 50 years later and Secretariat is still moving like a tremendous machine, speeding through time from one generation to another. And he won’t be slowing down when our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren celebrate his 100th anniversary and that special time when “history stopped” a long, long time ago.
The Archangels of Belmont
History does have a way of making a reappearance on occasion when it comes to the human side of the sport. And with Cody’s Wish supplying another heartwarming opening act, here came the little known Jena Antonucci and her bargain basement ridgling to add a long-awaited chapter to the history books. With the Sport of Kings going through some rough times, it needed a queen to supply some much-needed perception of an industry that sustains so many lives and is devoted to the welfare and happiness of an animal put on this earth to do one thing – run like the wind and display the heart and courage of the mightiest warrior.
So, with racing seeking a new star, Antonucci and Arcangelo, who were virtual unknowns a month ago, came seemingly out of nowhere to provide a breath of fresh air to a sport many felt was suffocating. Antonucci, in addition to being a superb trainer, represents all that is good in racing in her love of horses, which began competing and training show horses from childhood to early adulthood and then working at Wayne Lukas’ Padua Stables breaking and training Thoroughbreds before broadening her horizons learning about and dedicating herself to the health care of horses working as an equine veterinarian’s assistant for 4 1/2 years. She then opened Bella Inzio Farm in Ocala, Florida, where she cared for broodmares, foals, weanlings and yearlings, which led to rehabilitating Thoroughbreds to return to racing.
One of Antonucci’s goals is to become a force in improving the roles of women in racing, as they occupy more and more top positions. She wants to help move training in that direction, where every woman with the skills, talent, and love of horses can excel and achieve success. Little did she know before Saturday how high she would set the bar.
Antonucci took out her trainer’s license in 2010 and almost immediately made her first trip to the winner’s circle at Tampa Bay Downs. She feels her main strength has been her ability to connect with horses. Always under a microscope in a predominantly male-driven industry, she was able to build on her success over the past decade, which finally allowed her to “take the big jump into the deep waters of New York Racing.”
However, her love of horses was not confined to training. Her involvement in the care and welfare of the horse was felt in 2016 when she was named vice-president of the Florida Thoroughbred Retirement and Adoptive Care. In a 2020 article written in the Thoroughbred Daily News by Diana Pikulski, a pioneer in Thoroughbred aftercare, when Antonucci took over as vice president of the FLTRAC there were 297 horses spread out over several locations in Indiantown, Florida. One of the first changes she made was to consolidate all the horses to one leased location in Indiantown that consisted of three barns, hundreds of acres of turn-out pasture, paddocks of all sizes, and two outdoor riding arenas. The success, like her training career, was immediate, with well over 200 horses being adopted soon after by private individuals.
Life is about timing, and Antonucci just happened to meet Jon Ebbert at the Keeneland sale the day before he bought Arcangelo, who he simply fell in love with in spite of his immaturity and sesamoid issues. It turned out to be a life-changing meeting. Ebbert was extremely impressed with Antonucci, finding her personable, trustworthy, and very detail oriented. Ebbert asked her if she would like to train the horse and so their historic journey began.
Antonucci’s main focus has always been to use her diverse horsemanship skills in developing young horses. But she always makes it a point to pay tribute to her staff, which is mostly female, and their dedication to the horses. Some of her favorite words when it comes to training Thoroughbreds are: “The answer is already within each horse…it’s up to us to listen.” And whatever Arcangelo has been saying to her, she sure has been listening. With the ridgling being a May foal it was her job to let him grow and mature and “not stand in his way.”
Following two defeats at Gulfstream to begin his career, showing promise each time, Arcangelo broke his maiden impressively on March 18, winning by 3 1/2 lengths in a sharp 1:34 4/5 for the mile. That earned him his ticket to New York and those deep waters.
In the Peter Pan Stakes, Arcangelo, under Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Javier Castellano, hooked the favorite Bishop’s Bay turning for home. He gained a slight advantage in midstretch, but Bishop’s Bay battled back to grab the lead and looked to be a sure winner. However, Arcangelo still had more fight left in him and he gave a final surge right before the wire to win by a head, giving Antonucci her first graded stakes winner.
The question now was whether Arcangelo was ready to take on most of the leading 3-year-olds in the country in the mile and a half Belmont Stakes. Antonucci and Ebbert were so confident they agreed to put up a $50,000 supplementary fee, feeling Arcangelo had already paid for it. Their confidence was really tested when a number of substantial offers came in to purchase the horse. Because of their undying faith in him, every offer, no matter how large, was met with a resounding no.
Antonucci, despite all the work she and he staff had put in on the horse, admitted the grit and determination he showed in the Peter Pan is something that can’t be taught. That gave her even more confidence for the Belmont even though he would be stretching out from nine to 12 furlongs in only his fifth lifetime start and facing a strong, battle-tested field of graded stakes horses.
Her response? “Let’s do it,” she told Fox News. “I happen to be a woman who does this and that’s definitely part of the story. But he is the story.”
Belmont day arrived with glorious weather, While major stars Cody’s Wish, Clairiere, Elite Power, and Caravel were scoring popular victories, Arcangelo was sprawled out in his stall snoring away. Sent off at 7-1 , Arcangelo had a dream trip saving ground every step of the way though moderate factions of :47 3/5 and 1:12 2/5. He cut the corner turning for home and spurted clear of the pacesetting Preakness winner National Treasure at the eighth pole, while the Todd Pletcher pair of Forte and Tapit Trice had to fan very wide. They, along with Angel of Empire and Hit Show, all gave chase, but it was too late to catch Arcangelo, who hit the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front of a fast-closing Forte, who nosed out his stablemate for second.
Antonucci was overcome with emotion, kneeling down and burying her head in her hands. After all the years devoting her life to horses and their care, health, and overall welfare, she had been rewarded with her own chapter in the record books as the only female to win a Triple Crown race. But it still was not about her, but a generous and courageous gray son of Arrogate who died too soon, but appropriately was elected to the Hall of Fame this year.
“I will forever be indebted to his honesty to us and his heart,” Antonucci said of Arcangelo. “He is why you get up seven days a week.”
So in the end, Antonucci listened intently to everything Arcangelo told her, and now here she is, along with her horse, entrenched in the annals of racing. Penny Chenery, a strong woman who admired strength in others, would have been proud to share Secretariat’s day with her. And why not? After all, this was a day meant for history.
Racing historian, author, and award-winning retired journalist for the Daily Racing Form and The Blood-Horse, Steve Haskin was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame’s Media Roll of Honor in 2016. Known for his racing knowledge and insightful prose, he has been an exclusive contributor to Secretariat.com since 2020.
Thank you, sir, for what may be the best summation of Secretariat’s legacy ever. History stopped with his Triple Crown because it was perfect. I can’t imagine horse matching it, far less exceeding it. I am keeping a copy of those paragraphs.
Two Phil’s at R&R, came out of race with ankle injury. Probable surgery and out rest of year.
I was so disappointed to see that, Lynda. He ran so impressively (and easily!) winning the Ohio Derby. He looked like he was headed for the 3YO championship. I do hope he comes back. Even horses you think are sturdy (he’s already had 10 starts) are so fragile.
Per the owners it does not sound like he will be back this year.
Guess more will be forthcoming after the surgery,
Yes, indeed sad.
There was also a breakdown at the Royal Ascot, one of Aiden O’Briens trainees. He could not be saved.
What a shame,
WOW, Equinox proves once again why he is the World’s Best Race Horse.
3rd from last, goes 8 wide and wins it!
The results in the Belmont Stakes were incredible.
I was just as happy Jena Antonucci won as I was that Rags to Riches won 16 years ago.
I was sorry that NYRA did not do more to celebrate Secretariat’s Belmont Stakes win. They gave a nod to him reproducing the 1973 program, but more should have been done to try and recapture the magic. I know it is impossible to capture the magic.
I thought one way they could have done it was to have 3 or 4 of the top race callers in the country take a stab at calling the 1973 Belmont Stakes and replay their race calls in between races leading up to this year’s Belmont Stakes.
Then again, Chic Anderson’s call still brings tears to my eyes.
Five days……that’s a turf meet..
Matthew, as of Monday, the going is good at Royal Ascot but there is some rain about for Tuesday according to Paddypower. Keep on eye on the weather through any of the local websites. Paddypower has 45 minutes of tips you may want to listen to. Good luck.
My plays today were Bucanero Fuerte and Cemhaan, who packs nine lbs more today. ..Bucknero ran very well but got 3rd, Cemhaan races later..
Cemhaan brutal beat for 2nd, at 97-1….had exacta if he held….tough sport but got a thrill!.
Inspiral suffered a tough beat….
You must be doing well with those long shots, well done. Are you in front. Yes, Inspiral was unlocked but Paddington’s win was the best. Paddington should be best at 10f but at a mile he’s special anyway.
Good luck tomorrow. How did you find Cemhaan?
Inspiral was unlucky not unlocked. It’s getting cold here, 37 f at present.
Unfortunately Cemhaan was not a contest race! I’m throwing darts! No skill here!..
What about Valiant Force in the Norfolk Stakes? I kept coming back to him because I saw his first race which was impressive and there was an excuse for his last race. Racing Post kept saying the colt was much better than the last performance.
I wish I’d put some money on him, just had that feeling about him and I thought the two favorites were way overrated- they’re only 2 year olds and anything can happen.
Frankie in the Gold Cup was just perfect.
Tahiyra cements her status as the best filly in Europe with another effortless Group 1 win in the Coronation Stakes.
Meanwhile, the Frankie and Ryan show marches on.
Blue Rose Cen dominates the Prix de Diane is stunning fashion. A date with destiny later in the year against Tahiyra should be a thriller.
On to Royal Ascot and the weather is looking perfect. Thinking caps on…
Davids, I was so glad to see she won! Haven’t actually seen the race yet — but thanks for clueing me in to set up to record Ascot starting Tuesday.
Good for you, Ms Blacktype. Blue Rose Cen looks exceptional now and the way she dismissed the competition was outstanding which surprised me. Tahiyra will really be tested should Blue Rose Cen be sent across the English Channel or, conversely, Blue Rose Cen will need to show all her mettle to overcome Tahiyra, should Tahiyra be given a chance to test herself against the French marvel.
Can’t wait for Ascot, good luck and hopefully, Frankie Dettori sparkles every day it would be so fitting.
Any and all updates on Ascot appreciated. WW sent 4 over there but no luck today from what little I have been able to read. Dettorri didn’t fare well either.
Laura, the website of the Racing Post have detailed results along with reasonable coverage of races in the Racecard section.
On YouTube just search for ‘Every Race from ‘whichever race day’ of Royal Ascot 2023’ and from World Horse Racing they provide every race from start to finish.
Enjoy the races as if you were there.
Just watched Muth win the second race at Santa Anita…holy moly…what an impressive show. This $2 million dollar Zendan/Baffert horse was incredible…looking forward to his next race.
So, how did Mirahmadi run?
He ran second to a horse that led the entire race, Tranche (he paid $42!)
Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there.
Thank you…much appreciated.
Just before we are all transfixed by Royal Ascot, starting on Tuesday, we have the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) to be sorted out on Sunday. Will the French 1, 2 of the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (1,000 Guineas), Blue Rose Cen and Lindy, be able to represent French glory by withhold English ambitions in the shape of Running Lion who unfortunately missed her chance at the English Oaks when withdrawn at the post.
The Prix de Diane looks like a cracking race albeit if a little sodden on the track. Who will garner the laurel on Sunday? Running Lion, possibly.
Great article on White House Historical Society FB page about the heyday of racing in our Nation’s Capitol.
American Rascal by Curlin out of Lady Aurelia seems to love it over there.
Just clipping along effortlessly in a brief workout video this morning.
Should be tough to beat..if takes to the turf..
The Royal Ascot can be watched on Peacock streaming services.
Just FYI.
Wonderful story, Steve!! Thank you!!
Thanks Joanne.
Thanks for posting Arcangeios pattern. Makes sense for the regression.
Arcangelo Thoro-graph pattern….10…5…1…2 3/4. So he regressed and still won because no one wanted to go the 1 1/2 miles, which is why they crawled home the last half in :51 2/5 and last quarter in :26 2/5. You could see they were all laboring
That’s interesting Steve, it confirms what I was thinking that none of the runners in the Belmont Stakes were really 12f horses. Tapit Trice never convinced me that going beyond 10f would be an asset, his running style of go, stop, start, go again isn’t conducive to running that distance. When he matures, or perhaps he doesn’t for that matter, he should run more professionally. Essential Quality would have had 10 lengths on these colts without even trying.
That’s a good post! I had similar thoughts but could not put them into words, Forte ran well but even the winner was so-so..
One of my friends told me that she thought Archangelo would win the Belmont. That was because he won the peter pan, much like Danzig Connection.
Several expensive two year olds are entered this week for their first start…beginning today at Ellis Park and going thru the weekend led by two million dollar Into Mischief colts.
Cowboy Code ($1 m/Lukas trained) is entered into today’s second at Ellis Park and Mirahmadi ($1.05 m/Baffert trained) -and yes, named after the track announcer Frank Mirahmadi-who will also call the races at Saratoga this summer, will run in the 7th at SA on Saturday in the Fasig-Tipton Futurity.
Miramahdi will need his running shoes to beat Doug O’Neill’s Pavel colt….
His name is Refocus, he drew inside, which is not what I would want—he has talent..
thank you for the article
Thanks for a great story and reliving such an incredible day. I can see Jena’s overnight success has taken a lifetime. What a resume she has! 50 years ago I stood at the 3\4″ pole and witnessed “The Move”. Last week got to see Jocelyn’s sculpture on a farm in Baltimoe. In the last year have become phone friends with Ron T. Recently went to Glen Riddle and stood in Man O’ War’s stall. On Belmont day visited Belair Stables and stood in Gallant Fox’s and Omaha’s stalls Then attended Jennifer Kelly’s book talk. Got Dave Fitzimmons to come to the talk. I used to train for his Dad Jack. Dave is the G-Grandson of Sunny Him. Great memories and history crammed into Secretariat Day
Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons trained Gallant Fox and Omaha. Jennifer’s book is called “The Foxes of Belair”
Cathy, I enjoyed reading about your travels.
Where is Jocelyn’s sculpture going to end up?
As of yesterday it was announced they had raised the funds for it to go to Doswell Virginia. Where Secretariat was born. Heading that way after Saratoga
Steve, your reference to Norman Rockwell really struck a note with me. Perhaps dirt racing is like those paintings an historic reference to a time passed. There have been quite a few US racing luminaries over the past few weeks opining that, for numerous reasons, it’s time to replace dirt tracks with synthetic. It’s hard not to disagree with statistics that point to the fact that synthetic tracks are safer than dirt. Moreover, aesthetically, dirt splattered jockeys and horses are not the most beautiful of sights where as a synthetic track can provide a sparkling clean rider and horse on return.
Southern California racing appears to be in real trouble but would the return of synthetic tracks be the savior? Was it the weather there, the type of material used, poor construction or whatever but synthetics never worked the first time. Should California racing go under it could be a catalyst for the ‘hate racing fanatics’ to galvanize their stance and attack east coast racing. It bears not thinking about.
On to more pleasant things. Steve, you brought all the joy of racing together in your article above, the ‘David slaying the Goliaths’ theme always warms the heart in racing. Thank you, for making the Belmont Stakes a memory to cherish. Let’s hope that the racing at Royal Ascot in a few days time can bring as much joy and happiness. Tootle pip!!
Thank you very much David. The problem with synthetic tracks is finding the right one. California had 4 different tracks and several of those are no more. Tapeta seems to be the way most tracks are going. Greatness will be altered as many great horses on dirt will not be great on synthetic. Curlin got beat by two European grass horses in the Classic
At Del Mar the synthetic surface played differently in the AM ..was tighter….afternoons got looser, was made of stuck-together rubber bands…
Matthew, in the future, due to climate change, they may have to create movable roofs with air conditioning to cover the track as they did for the Australian Open tennis 25 years ago now.
In the Australian Open, prior to the retractable roof, rain would stop play for hours if not days. Moreover, the synthetic surface replacing traditional grass court could reach 140 F in center court melting the players shoes and boiling the players wearing the shoes so the retractable roof provided shade from too much heat as well.
Crazy for racing? It was a crazy idea for tennis 25 years ago but now the Australian Open is the most successful tennis tournament totally outstripping all the other grand slams.
I think the Tapeta at Gulfstream Park, which is a blend of fine sand and wax-covered rubber fibers and designed to simulate the root structure of turf, works well from a visual perspective on the internet anyway.
Yes, Steve, I remember when Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen expressed concern about running Curlin in the Classic because of the Pro-Ride synthetic ‘dirt’ at Santa Anita Park in 2008. Perhaps the Tapeta may have worked better for Curlin?
I know what you mean though, you wouldn’t see Seattle Slew’s performance in the Flamingo Stakes on Tapeta. We may just have to accept change to save US racing.
Really wonderful, Steve.. truly
Thank you Msrc. I appreciate it
Steve, your observations , storylines and style never miss the mark! So happy for Jena, all the connections and our friend Arcangelo. You provided the Thorograph pattern for us going into the Belmont, when you know his number FROM the Belmont would you post it please? I’m Guessing he paired up his previous “1”. Just a guess, but curious. Thanks for ALL!
Thanks John. I will let you know
Steve – Really enjoyed this piece on Arcangelo and Secretariat, and the women behind them. I particularly appreciated the comparison of the Secretariat of 1973 with the Man o’ War of 1919-20…..two all-time “Big Red” icons that have eclipsed all the other noble American thoroughbred racehorses. I do find it interesting that after 100 years, Man o’ War’s continuing powerful pedigree presence is alive and well – with 45 appearances in Arcangelo’s pedigree, 23 from his sire Arrogate and 22 from his dam Modeling! Dave
Thanks for such a beautifully written write up of this year’s very special Belmont
I just kept getting a feeling that the Belmont would be very special this year. And, indeed it was.
What a wonderful trainer and horsewoman Jena Antonucci is. She is really someone who can present horse racing in a positive light; she is knowledgeable of all aspects of preparing a young horse to race to retraining a thoroughbred for its next career. She needs to be an example for the horse racing community.
Penny Cheney would be very proud of her.
As always……. Perfection in capsulizing up the events of this very special Belmont Stakes Day. No point in me saying anything else. Brought me to tears and I am printing it out to save to read and put in my memorabilia .
Wish I could have been there in person. Stuck in Ca.
And Steve, can you mention to someone in charge of Fox. That the audio was awful? Just kidding but ……. It was as if they had their focus on the crowd not the call or the commentary Crowd noise was deafening . improvement needed. I see other commenting on Facebook visuals coverage I thought was very good.
Thank you for your article. As Tina would say THE BEST!
Thank you Delrene. I’m not sure what went wrong with Tom’s call
Just ran the category on “Year of the Horse” on tonight’s Jeopardy.
Answers were: Secretariat (who won triple crown but not the United Nations in 1973), Seabiscuit (answer named the horse who played him in the movie), The Black Stallion (horse with “black” in his name in 1979 movie), Elizabeth Taylor (who played role in movie about the Grand National) and horse with owners from Seattle who won triple crown (Seattle Slew). Super easy. None of the contestants got the last three.
The last question in the category was who won the triple crown for owners from the state of Washington? I also got all five. Guess we both earned our horse stripes, Ms. B.
If not us, then who would? Congratulations Dewey!
Aw jeez, Ms. B….. I dare say that most bloggers on this site would max those Jeopardy questions.
I do so enjoy reading the stories that Steve so skillfully puts to pen and also the splendid comments by Steve’s posse. There’s yourself, Lynda, Davids, Nelson and many others who add so much to my day. Thank you for playing a part in my enjoyment of the horse. A “whinney” to you all.
And back to you, Dewey!
Did any of the contestants say “Black Beauty” for the (horse with “black” in his name in 1979 movie)? There was an animated, 1978, movie of “Black Beauty” which is reasonably close.
Yes, one did. But the question said something about the second most famous horse with “black” in his name. I guess Black Beauty would have come in first.
Ah, that would have made it either easier or harder for some. Thanks, Jiffy.
Ms B
Cass Ole played The Black in two of the Black Stallion movies.
His sire line was Polish Arabian going back to Skowronek.
His dam line was mostly Egyptian and Crabbet.
Cass Ole was black with a white star and white socks.
The white markings were dyed for the film.
If you look closely you can see the dye on his face.
Cass Ole died from a colic in 1993 at age 24.
The last surviving horse that played Black Beauty in the 1994 version died in 2020 at age 30. His name was Blindaj and was called Billy.
Billy was one of 4 horses who played BB.
He was an Orlov Trotter.
Count Orlov was one of Catherine the Great’s lovers.
His reward for helping bring her to the throne and his role in the Russian-Turkish War was a large tract of fertile land.
The Count had received an Arabian stallion from the Sultan of Turkey. He wanted to develop a strong trotting horse and bred the stallion named Smetanka to different breeds of mares. The stallion died at a young age but produced a son that allowed Orlov to develop the new breed of trotter in 3 generations. His main success came as the result of breeding the Smetanka line stallions to Danish Fresians.
The Orlov Trotter has tremendous stamina, a flashy trot and beautiful eyes and is known for their hardiness.
Great post, Lynda. Very impressed with the detail of your research.
Thank you Dewey.
Horses have always been my passion.
I got to see Cass Ole at Arlington Park once! I believe this was the summer of 1980. He was so calm and well mannered that at one point, they actually led him through the crowd in the paddock, and people (including me!) got to reach out and touch him. What a beauty he was.
He became quite a celebrity after the movies.
It was mentioned in his bio that he was at President Ronald Reagan”s inauguration.
In addition to playing The Black he was also a champion show horse, I believe in the Park Horse category.
One of his riders was a young girl.
He was a very gentle stallion as many Arabian stallions are.
What a wonderful experience to have seen and touched him!
I guess you could say Cass Ole was as popular with people who loved, bred or owned Arabians as some of our Thoroughbred race horses are.
Yes, I treasure that memory. I think I read somewhere that he got the “Cass” in his name from his sire, Casanova, and the “Ole” from the fact that he was so gorgeous as a foal, when he raced around the pasture with his mom, the grooms would shout, “Ole! Ole!”
Thank you. Did not know that is where the Ole came from.
Hi Lynda:
Just saw the wonderful turn this thread took today. I posted a comment at the bottom. Many thanks for all the great info on these wonderful cinematic stars.
I was pleased to see a category on horse racing. I always watch Jeopardy, and I’ve always wished they would have more questions on the subject.
The first million dollar question on the Regis Philben “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire” was “Name the last Triple Crown Winner? (Affirmed), THAT was for a million dollars..
Should have said the first WINNING answer…
Ms B, the horse who played The Pie was named King Charles. It has been said that he was a great a grandson of Man O War but it has not been proven. His owners had trained him for jumping. He was known to be a somewhat difficult horse but he and Elizabeth Taylor developed quite a relationship. He was given to her for I think her 14th birthday and she kept him the rest of his life.
I read the book “National Velvet” when I was a young girl but did not see the movie until I was an adult.
Also read the Black Stallion series of books when I was young. My uncle by marriage became a semi-invalid shorty after he retired and he read books to pass the time. He let me borrow all of his books after he read them.
I loved those books! Which were your favorites? Mine were The Black Stallion’s Filly and The Black Stallion Revolts.
Loved them all! Hard to chose but probably liked the first two a little more.
He also had most all of the Zane Grey books.
Way back (30’s and 40’s), a lot of western movies were based on the collection.
A movie about Sgt Reckless is supposed to be in the works but have not hear anything about it recently.
Sgt Reckless was by a Mongolian stallion out of a Thoroughbred mare.
That would be something if they made a movie about Sgt. Reckless. I can’t recall the title of the book about her, but it was very good. There’s also a wonderful statue of her at the Kentucky Horse Park.
There is a statue of SGT Reckless on a hill at Camp Pendleton…
Check that….now I’m not sure, she’s buried there, and there is a headstone/plaque, perhaps there was a statue….she lived there for years, had foals, if I’m not mistaken..
The Black Stallion’s Filly was my favorite, too. mostly because it was about the Kentucky Derby. There was another one–I think it was The Black Stallion’s Courage–that picked up where that one left off and covered the rest of Black Minx’s racing career. I liked that one also. I’ve often thought that it was fortunate that Black Minx didn’t have to get points to get into the Derby because she wouldn’t have had any. She hadn’t fared well in any of her previous starts.
Good point (no pun intended)! The Derby described in the book would have had an exceptionally small field under the points system. As the horses stand in the starting gate and Farley describes them, he indicates that several of Black Minx’s competitors are first-time starters!
I’d forgotten about that. But in those days, in fact or fiction, the same horses ran in many of the preps, and in the book a couple horses would have had almost all the points. I don’t know what would happen if there weren’t 20 horses who earned points. Today there are so many prep races that maybe there would have to be more than 20, but that was not the case in the book. Farley’s first-time starters might have come in handy.
So glad I posted my Jeopardy answers — they sure led to a great thread! And Lynda, I love all the backstory information you posted about Cass Ole and King Charles. They’ll live on forever in cinema.
I usually don’t like the looks of the horses chosen to play greats like Seabiscuit and Secretariat in films — inevitably they are claimers and you can tell they do not have the look of eagles in their eyes.
As for the Walter Farley books, My favorite of the Black Stallion series is the “Black Stallion’s Filly” (duh, girls rock) and I must have read “Man O’ War” a half dozen times. I always love the comment near the start of the book where an Aqueduct patron asks if Man O’ War was as good as Hillsdale. No one (except us racing fanatics) even remembers that horse today. As I recall he was a very good handicap horse in the late 1950s, perhaps even a champion older horse. I’ll have to look it up.
Ms B, thank you for posting the Jeopardy answers. It has been fun reading all the comments and participating in the discussion.
Popcorn Deelites who was primary actor as Seabiscuit did have a soft landing.
Michael Blowen of Old Friends purchased him for $1,500 and he lived out the rest of his life there.
Gary Stevens who played George Woolf in the movie visited AD several times at Old Friends and was very fond of the horse.
I had a former co-worker friend was was living and working in Louisianna when they started filming Secretariat. He called me to tell me about the experience he had with his children watching the film bring made. He knew how much I loved Secretariat.
One of the horse actors in the Secretariat movie was a quarter horse as recall.
Cass Ole did not appear in the 3rd Black Stallion movie (The Young Black Stallion). The horse they used was a chestnut and they dyed his whole body black.
Now that I know all the horse’s true names, I’ll have to look up the movies and rewatch them!
Glad to hear about Popcorn’s happy landing, Lynda. No matter their value, all these campaigners are deserving, wonderful animals. Kudos to all who go to great personal expense and effort to save unwanted horses and return them to health.
I worked at the Maryland tracks for years. We had an outsider named Phil Miller that always told us he was Taylor’s double for all the jump scenes
Good stuff. As for looking forward to the next big three year old race…the Haskell Stakes in about forty days or so I noticed that Baffert’s other named Arabian horse….Arabian Knight just worked out three days ago in in 47.40 for 4 at Santa Anita, which is an improvement of over 5 seconds for the same distance six days earlier.
Keep in mind that Baffert has won the Haskell nine times.
Interesting….
Bob said he is pointing both of his “Arabian” horses, the recent 109 Beyer Arabian Lion and the 2 for 2 Arabian Knight…
NEver scene the rail open in the Belmont in my life
Steve; this is a wonderful article in every respect. You’ve perfectly described the importance of Jena Antonucci’s Belmont Stakes win as a female trainer, Secretariat’s immortal place in history and the concise and accurate report of how the Belmont was won (and lost). Thanks for the shout out to the excellent effort by Forte who had everything going against him.
Thank you very much Robyn.
Thanks, Steve, for diving into Jena Antonucci’s vocation and character. This piece solidifies the respect and admiration we all feel for such a devoted female Trainer.
One of the most positive effects of Antonucci’s feat is that it changed the tone of the headlines of certain news channel whose editorial line is somehow opposing horse racing. It was refreshing to see a change from flash news reporting (for instance) Baffert win in the Preakness in terms like “the horse crossed the finish line first” as if it was expected that a future drug test could revert the result…! The undertone was clear there…
Now it is a sense of history made when the same cable network reported “the first woman to win a Triple Crown race”. The second and third places (favorite Forte and Tapit Trice) were also mentioned. The headlines added that other 11 woman had attempted that feat. The undertone here was one of great achievement in sports by a woman and an incentive for diversity in any activity.
The outcomes of the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes this year are reminders that any horseman or horsewoman can encounter glory anytime. As Steve reminds us, It takes hard work, skills, perseverance, and effective teamwork to achieve great things… Jena Antonucci has proven that you don’t have to be a super star to dream big … you just need to make every horse feel he is your super star every single day …!
Although the US has/had notable female trainers they haven’t truly reached the notoriety of Gai Waterhouse in Australia, Jessie Harrington and Criquette Head in Europe who are household names. Let’s hope the ‘times, they are a changing’ in the US. US racing certainly needs a change for the better.
And it seems to me like the Australian female Jockeys are also ahead in terms of Grade 1 wins compared to their female counterparts in America…
Don’t have the stats to confirm that but the Stakes performances of the likes of Clare Lindop, Jamie Kah, Kathy O’Hara, Linda Meech
and Michelle Payne, give the impression that Australia is one of the leading countries when it comes to gender equality in horse racing…
Have you seen the movie “Ride Like a Girl”? The story of Michelle Payne winning the Melbourne Cup. The Payne family have had generational connections to Victorian racing for decades.
Knowing the Australian racing scene reasonably well it would not have been easy for female jockeys to break through. Hollie Doyle in Europe is becoming a crossover TV personality as Frankie Dettori managed to do.
Yes I watched the movie … it depicts rather accurately all the hurdles Michelle had to overcome to shine among the boys…
The stories of the majority of the female jockeys are very inspiring…
HI STEVE DO YOU THINK THE FACT HE’S A RIDGLING PLAYED INTO HIM SELLING FOR ONLY 35K ALSO???? HIS MOMMA WAS PURCHASED FOR 2.8 MILLION!!!!! SHE’S BY TAPIT AND BY HIM BEING A RIDGLING CAN HE STILL BE ABLE TO BE A STALLION????????????? GREAT READ AS USUAL THANKX!!!! JOHN BOUDREAU
I will answer your last questiion with this: A.P, Indy was a ridgling and had his undescended testicle removed rather than geld him. It depends on how much it bothers the horse or restricts him
An his third dam the incomparable, Better than Honour, is the most expensive broodmare in history purchased by $14,000,000 in 2008.
The daughter of Deputy Minister and maternal granddaughter of Blushing Groom is the only mare with three descendants winning the Belmont Stakes.
As Steve stated being ridgling won’t deter breeders to make high bids on the future stallion… especially after the untimely passing of Arrogate.
Steve, this is a breathtaking piece. How you can write about ANY race that happened 50 years ago with such vibrance and freshness just amazes me. And in spite of what you said about not telling a back story, you delivered one perfectly. I feel like I got the personal insight into Jena Antonucci that I didn’t get from any of the on-air interviews.
Thank you very much Mrs. B. I didnt really write about the Belmont, just the power it still has over people 50 years later.
Thank you once again, for another lovely article! Watching the Secretariat coverage between races, I was astonished to see Ron Turcotte in person! I had no idea he was still alive. Hearing him describe Secretariat and the race gave me goosebumps.
Where you wrote “… Arcangelo was sprawled out in his stall snoring away. Sent off at 7-1 , Arcangelo had a dream …” I was reading too fast and I though you were about to tell me what Arcangelo was dreaming of while he was snoring away. LOL.
Like the both other triple crown races’ somewhat unexpected winners, the Belmont left me smiling – happy for the connections.
Ron is doing amazingly well all things considered and hee loves talking about Secretariat.
Thank you for another wonderful, informative article. I hope Arcangelo continues his sire’s legacy.
Thank you Paddy. I hope so too. And lets not forget about Cave Rock. I have no idea what happened to him but he should be a terrific sire.
Thank you Steve for another moving article. I always appreciate your gift of expression of your observations and perspectives. I don’t always comment , but I love your writing,and I press “like” and “love” a lot.
I really appeciate you commenting Sandy and for your kind words. Thank you very much. Hope you come back. And keep up the “likes” and “loves.” Lol.
Thanks for a great article. Best wishes for them going forward.
Another great piece Steve. I always look forward and enjoy Tuesday mornings with a cup of coffee and reading Steve Haskin. What a great piece of training By Jena Antonucci. Arcangelo was primed and on the muscle. In the post parade when Arcangelo came by I knew my bets were in trouble and I don’t get to say that to much. Put in a for me a perfect ride by Castellano and the Carnations were theirs. A great win for all concerned. It has been 40 plus years since Temperance Hill and Coastal won the Belmont as a supplemental entry. All I can say is CONGRATULATIONS!
Thank you Derek. Castellano gave him the perfect Belmont ride. You wont see two better rides in one Triple Crown.
Totally agree! and Arcangelo for me was the pick of the paddock!
Loved both parts of this article! One note, I think it should be the only two triple crown winners since 1978, not 1973. Can’t forget Slew and Affirmed.
Thanks. It was supposed to be since 1978, the last before the big gap, but i like it better since 1973 so I added Slew and Affirmed.
Perfect! Shows just how dominant Secretariat was in the Belmont. Doesn’t matter who was in the field, he still would have won by a huge margin.
Another wonderful article and a happy conclusion to the 2023 Triple Crown. I’m not ashamed to say I shed a few tears when Arcangelo won. Can’t wait to see what the summer and fall brings.
Oh my goodness..this has to be one of your best ever!
Read about three words and then came the tears.
Jenna is an amazing horsewoman in every sense of the word.
Will be back later to read it again and probably a couple more times.
Like going back for seconds and thirds at Thandgiving, I want to savor the flavor of every word !!!
Thank you very much Lynda. So glad you enjoyed it
“Here we are 50 years later and Secretariat is still moving like a tremendous machine, speeding through time from one generation to another.” How aptly said–and how true! Thanks also for the story behind Arcangelo. What a well-rounded background Jena Antonucci built up over the years! It’s so refreshing to hear about someone like her achieving success on the big stage.
Its around twenty years, since Laura DeSoreaux guided Azeri to Horse of the Year, and a 14 for 16 record…..only to have her removed from her care by Alan Paulson’s son, and given to Lukas, where she would go 1 for 7….seeing Jena Antonucci hugging and kissing her Belmont winner reminded me very much of Laura’s closeness to her mare, something that her new owner thought was odd—it was beautiful..
Paulson’s son was a jerk!
I don’t think you are correct
If I remember right, Azeri was turned over to Lukas at the beginning of 2004. These are the G1 races she won or placed for Lukas that year. She was also awarded the Eclipse Award 2004 Champion Older Mare
Age six (2004)
1st, Apple Blossom Handicap (G1)
1st, Go For Wand Handicap (G1)
1st, Spinster Stakes (G1)
2nd, Humana Distaff Handicap (G1)
2nd, Personal Ensign Handicap (G1)
Gosh Davids I was wrong! I DID get the 14 for 16 under Laura correct….2004 she was 3 for 8 on the year that Wayne had her, of he did have her that entire year, but I was right about Paulson’s son, he didn’t like Laura, and she was very close to her mare..
When Azeri—one of 9 female Horse of the Year winners— won entrance into the Hall of Fame–Laura was not invited by her owner..
That is so sad….
Matthew, it’s not me. Ha ha Nonetheless, most lads named David are pretty clever though. Lol.
Thank you Davids!
Matthew, you are so right about Paulson’s son. I would hope that Allen wouldn’t have done anything like that.