Arcangelo wins Travers; two colts euthanized at Saratoga - ESPN

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Arcangelo won the $1.25 million Travers by a length at Saratoga on Saturday, but the day was marred by the deaths of two horses, bringing the total to seven horses who have died at the summer meet.

Arcangelo gave trainer Jena Antonucci her second major Grade 1 victory after the colt won the Belmont Stakes.

«I guess the more this horse does, the more we're going to keep writing some history,» Antonucci said.

Ridden by Javier Castellano, Arcangelo ran 1¼ miles over a muddy track in 2 minutes, 2.23 seconds, and paid $7.40, $5.30 and $3.90. Disarm returned $8 and $5.80. Tapit Trice was another 2½ lengths back in third and paid $6 to show.

Preakness winner National Treasure was fifth and Kentucky Derby winner Mage was last in the seven-horse field that included each of the three winners of the Triple Crown race.

Castellano won his seventh Travers. The 45-year-old jockey won the Kentucky Derby with Mage in May and then the Belmont with Arcangelo.

«It's like the Super Bowl for Tom Brady,» Castellano said. «Of course, it means a lot to me because this game is up and down. I remember last year I didn't have any horses to ride on the card. I had to go out of town. I ended up riding at Monmouth Park last year because I didn't have any business. The year before I only rode one horse on the 14 races.»

Earlier on the card, New York Thunder was leading the way under Tyler Gaffalione in the Jerkens Memorial when the colt suffered a catastrophic injury to its left front leg in the stretch and fell, according to the New York Racing Association.

New York Thunder was euthanized on the track. Gaffalione wasn't hurt. The colt was trained by Jorge Delgado.

In the day's fifth race, Gaffalione rode Nobel to a fifth-place