Arcangelo wins Belmont Stakes to make history for trainer Jena Antonucci and seal a $900,000 prize – but the day is marred by protesters amid NINE recent horse racing deaths
- Arcangelo turned on the burners in the home straight to win Belmont Stakes
- Protesters beat the organizers off the track with banners and chants
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Arcangelo was the 8-1 winner of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday night, holding off Forte and Tapit Trice to win the home game.
The win made history for Jena Antonucci as the first ever female trainer to win the race in its 155 years, and secured her team’s $900,000 grand prize.
On that day, thousands of fans flocked to a sunny Elmont Park in New York, with punters dressed in their best for one of the biggest days on the racing calendar.
But it wasn’t all positive as protesters made their voices heard outside the gates of the venue, with many holding up placards denouncing the sport amid nine recent horse deaths.
Racing was thrown into controversy last month when eight horses died at Churchill Downs and one more at Preakness, and trainer Bob Baffert was criticized amid PETA’s claims that ’75 horses he looked after have died’.
Arcangelo, ridden by jockey Javier Castellano, crosses the finish line to win the Belmont Stakes
Protesters stand outside an entrance gate with signs denouncing horse racing
Spectators watch as the horses run the final stretch in a race for the Belmont Stakes
A fan holds a sign that says “horses die here” after nine recent animal deaths in other breeds
Arcangelo, left, is walked back to the stable on Friday together with trainer Jena Antonucci (right).
Earlier this week, Belmont Stakes race day was called into question amid poor air quality, with smoke from the Canadian wildfires blanketing New York in dangerous smog.
There were concerns about the welfare of the horses, but the organizers continued racing, which passed without controversy that day.
On the Saturday night track, as the Belmont Stakes race headed into the final furlong, Arcangelo overtook National Treasure and turned on the burners, eventually winning comfortably.
After the horse crossed the finish line, Antonucci doubled over and rested her arm and her head on the back of a chair. She kissed the horse on the nose as it returned to the area in front of the winner’s circle.
Arcangelo finished the 1 1/2 mile race in 2:29.23 and 1 1/2 lengths ahead of favorite Forte, with Tapit Trice third.