Jena Antonucci

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Jena Antonucci
Antonucci in 2023
Personal information
Born1975 or 1976 (age 50–51)
OccupationTrainer
Horse racing career
SportHorse racing
Career winnings$7,385,806[1]
Career wins165+ (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. "Trainer Profile - Jena M. Antonucci". Equibase. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. "Doctor J Dub Breakthrough Horse for Antonucci". The Blood-Horse. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  8. Grening, David (26 August 2023). "Arcangelo takes command with Travers Stakes triumph". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  9. Hegarty, Matt (20 November 2023). "Antonucci to receive Big Sport of Turfdom Award". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  10. "Jena Antonucci, In the Matter of". Federal Trade Commission. 2026-04-02. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
  11. King, Byron (April 4, 2026). "Antonucci Appeals Suspension for Lidocaine Violation". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
  12. Hackbarth, Chelsea (June 17, 2026). "Hackbarth: Antonucci Case Asks An Uncomfortable Question About Trainer Responsibility". Paulick Report. Retrieved June 18, 2026.