Jena Antonucci
_01.png) Antonucci in 2023 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975 or 1976 (age 50–51) |
| Occupation | Trainer |
| Horse racing career | |
| Sport | Horse racing |
| Career winnings | $7,385,806[1] |
| Career wins | 165+ (ongoing)[1] |
Major racing wins | |
American Classics:
Graded Stakes Wins:
| |
Significant horses | |
| Arcangelo, Doctor J Dub | |
| Updated on 26 August 2023 | |
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 prepared Arcangelo for his 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. He next competed in the Belmont Stakes, where he was Antonucci's first ever Grade 1 starter.[4] Arcangelo won the Belmont and she became the first woman trainer to have a horse win. Later that year Arcangelo won the Travers Stakes, making Antonucci the second female trainer to win the Travers in its 154-year history.[8] As of the 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.
In 2025, one of her trained horses, Bee a Queen, tested positive for lidocaine, a controlled substance. Antonucci was suspended for 15 days, which she appealed to the Federal Trade Commission.[10][11] Antonucci claimed a jockey using the substance topically inadvertently transferred it to the horse.[12]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Trainer Profile - Jena M. Antonucci". Equibase. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "Doctor J Dub Breakthrough Horse for Antonucci". The Blood-Horse. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ↑ Grening, David (26 August 2023). "Arcangelo takes command with Travers Stakes triumph". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ↑ Hegarty, Matt (20 November 2023). "Antonucci to receive Big Sport of Turfdom Award". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ "Jena Antonucci, In the Matter of". Federal Trade Commission. 2026-04-02. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
- ↑ King, Byron (April 4, 2026). "Antonucci Appeals Suspension for Lidocaine Violation". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
- ↑ Hackbarth, Chelsea (June 17, 2026). "Hackbarth: Antonucci Case Asks An Uncomfortable Question About Trainer Responsibility". Paulick Report. Retrieved June 18, 2026.