Archangel Targets the Hambletonian
Thursday, 12 July 2012 11:18
By Bill Heller
It’s official. Co-owner and trainer Peter Arrigenna confirmed Monday that his three-year-old New York-bred Archangel, who captured the $445,594 Yonkers Trot Saturday, is pointing to the Hambletonian at The Meadowlands August 3rd.
Not only has he never had a horse in the Hambletonian, Arrigenna has never even been to The Meadowlands. “We’re heading to the Hambletonian,” Arrigenna said. “I’ve never been to The Meadowlands, and it’s going to be amazing. He’s just an amazing horse. I think he’s as good as anybody out there. I’m not saying he’s better; I’m just saying he’s as good. So we’re going. We’re going to have some fun with him.”
It’s hard to imagine Arrigenna having more fun than Saturday night at Yonkers. Despite having the outside post in the field of five, Arrigenna was going against an overwhelming 1-5 favorite from the rail, Googoo Gaagaa, who had won 10 of 11 lifetime starts.
“I thought Archangel had a good shot,” Arrigenna said. “Googoo was a little superior, but my horse had raced at Yonkers, and I trained him on the half-mile.
Archangel, who had won five straight races, went off the 9-2 third choice. Driver Jim Morrill, Jr., left with Archangel aggressively at the start. “We like him better from behind, but we had no choice,” Arrigenna said. “We talked about it before the race.”
Googoo Gaagaa, driven by Corey Callahan, made Archangel work to get the lead, but he did make the front. And any thoughts Callahan had of immediately re-taking the front were squashed as Archangel flew to the first quarter in :27 4/5. That left him two lengths in front of the favorite. Then the favorite broke not once, but twice, and Archangel finished his wire-to-wire victory by a length and a half over Stormin Normand in 1:54 1/5 despite an anxious moment or two when Archangel began looking at the flags in the infield. “He went off the bit a bit, but Jimmy shook him up and he was fine,” Arrigenna said. “It was amazing. You can’t explain it. I’m ecstatic about it.”
Arrigenna disclosed that Archangel’s next start will be the Tompkins –Memorial & Geer Stakes at Tioga Downs July 21st, rather than the Stanley Dancer Memorial at The Meadowlands a week earlier. Then it’s on to the Hambletonian eliminations July 28th. If he’s good enough, Archangel will race in the Hambletonian the following Saturday.
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
