Foundation for Success: Jena Antonucci’s Approach to Equine Care and Nutrition
Nutrition : General Nutrition
Nutrition : Ingredients & Nutrients
A horse trainer for more than 25 years, Jena Antonucci has the unique distinction of being the first female trainer to win a Triple Crown race, a feat she accomplished when the famous gray horse , Arcangelo, won the 2023 Belmont Stakes in dramatic fashion.
Following the history-making win, Antonucci was quick to shine the spotlight on her horse—not herself—in an interview with The Guardian. “He’s just got the heart of a champion. He’s just that guy. He’s just amazing. A true blessing, an amazing gift and I’m just so grateful.”
Today, the world-class trainer and thoroughbred breeder is busier than ever, but whether she’s walking the aisles of her barn, working in her office or spending time at the track, she always slows down when it comes to the health of her horses.
A firm believer in laying strong foundations, Antonucci’s breeding decisions, training programs and nutrition protocols are all rooted in consistency and intentionality.
“It’s a whole different relationship with the horse, being able to imprint them and knowing that you are the foundation of where they’re going to be for the rest of their life and how they are going to interact with humans,” she said. “To know you can make a positive impact so early is very gratifying.”
As foals grow up and move into the training phase, Antonucci said she listens and responds to each horse’s unique needs and motivations. “The answer is already there within each horse. It’s up to us to be quiet, listen and observe.”
To gain that individual understanding, Antonucci works closely with barn staff to continuously evaluate behaviors, weight gain, temperament, talent and willingness to work. She spends just as much time on the ground with her team making these assessments as she does training.
“Our philosophy is very much horse-forward and always puts them at the center of the decisions that are made about their development and how far we push them fitness-wise, mentally and physically,” Antonucci said. “We always make sure we pause a minute, check on the horse and make sure they are doing well. Most importantly, we allow the horse to really lead us and lead their journey, managing the human expectations along the way.”
“Sustainable nutrition for pregnant mares helps foals have consistent growth, so they have everything they need when they’re going through different growth stages,” she said. “It also means those mares are ready for foaling and can recover not only better but faster.”
And Antonucci continues the same steady approach after foals are born.
“With young horses, the most important thing is just consistency. You’re trying to avoid any major pitfalls,” she said. “You don’t want to have any gastric disturbances, and young horses in particular don’t have a very high pain threshold, so making sure to avoid any colic episodes or immense gas issues is critical.”
For all of her horses, including the young growing horses, Antonucci trusts research-backed Purina® feed to provide a strong, proven nutrition platform.
“The cornerstones of our approach to nutrition are sustainability and consistency,” she said. “In other words, having forage, grain and supplements that allow our horses to have a consistent availability of the nutrition, vitamins and fats they need. We take that really seriously, and I know that when we are feeding Purina® every bag is going to be the same, and that’s very, very important.”
“About once a year we check in on our nutrition program,” she said. “Stopping, pausing, assessing how nutrition has evolved and what new things are out there,” she said. Antonucci cites the recent introduction of the Purina® Microbiome Quotient™ (MQ™) Platform as an example of an advancement that made her reevaluate her nutrition protocols.
But Antonucci and her team don’t go it alone, relying on their ongoing partnership with Purina’s team of equine nutritionists to help.
“They are fantastic about peeling things back and getting in there and saying, ‘Hey, have we tried this? Have we objectively looked at it? How can we do this a little differently?’ That consultative role is an important one to me and one that’s available to anyone, whether they have one horse or an entire stable.”
As Antonucci walks the aisles of her barn, greeting horses individually like the old friends they are, it’s clear her dedication to laying strong foundations for her horses—mentally, physically and nutritionally—is rooted in a deep appreciation for how they enrich the lives of those who love and care for them. Her philosophy is a simple one: “Our horses show up for us every day and they give us everything. So how can we show up better every day for them?”
For Antonucci, showing up better for her horses means staying true to her philosophy of laying strong foundations. It’s prioritizing consistency. It’s putting her horses at the center of every breeding, training and nutrition decision. And not just for champions like Arcangelo, but for every foal, mare and stallion that are lucky enough to come under her care.
And while not all horse owners have access to world-class trainers like Antonucci, they do have access to the same team of equine nutritionists she relies on to keep her nutrition protocols on the cutting edge. To level up your nutrition program, check out Purina’s searchable library of horse educational content, go deeper into nutrition considerations for mares and foals, visit the Horse Breeding Resources page or use the Ask an Expert tool to get in touch with Purina® equine nutritionist.
Following the history-making win, Antonucci was quick to shine the spotlight on her horse—not herself—in an interview with The Guardian. “He’s just got the heart of a champion. He’s just that guy. He’s just amazing. A true blessing, an amazing gift and I’m just so grateful.”
Today, the world-class trainer and thoroughbred breeder is busier than ever, but whether she’s walking the aisles of her barn, working in her office or spending time at the track, she always slows down when it comes to the health of her horses.
A firm believer in laying strong foundations, Antonucci’s breeding decisions, training programs and nutrition protocols are all rooted in consistency and intentionality.
Starting with a strong foundation
Growing up, Antonucci started showing horses at an early age and when she pivoted to the thoroughbreds, she had her initial training under the tutelage of National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame horse trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Along the way as a thoroughbred breeder and veterinary technician, she learned the importance of early foundational work, especially when it comes to the mental and physical development of individual horses.“It’s a whole different relationship with the horse, being able to imprint them and knowing that you are the foundation of where they’re going to be for the rest of their life and how they are going to interact with humans,” she said. “To know you can make a positive impact so early is very gratifying.”
As foals grow up and move into the training phase, Antonucci said she listens and responds to each horse’s unique needs and motivations. “The answer is already there within each horse. It’s up to us to be quiet, listen and observe.”
To gain that individual understanding, Antonucci works closely with barn staff to continuously evaluate behaviors, weight gain, temperament, talent and willingness to work. She spends just as much time on the ground with her team making these assessments as she does training.
“Our philosophy is very much horse-forward and always puts them at the center of the decisions that are made about their development and how far we push them fitness-wise, mentally and physically,” Antonucci said. “We always make sure we pause a minute, check on the horse and make sure they are doing well. Most importantly, we allow the horse to really lead us and lead their journey, managing the human expectations along the way.”
Role of developmental nutrition
While the physical and mental aspects of each horse’s journey are critical to their overall health and ability to perform, Antonucci said their nutrition protocol also plays a significant role—one that begins even before a mare give birth.“Sustainable nutrition for pregnant mares helps foals have consistent growth, so they have everything they need when they’re going through different growth stages,” she said. “It also means those mares are ready for foaling and can recover not only better but faster.”
And Antonucci continues the same steady approach after foals are born.
“With young horses, the most important thing is just consistency. You’re trying to avoid any major pitfalls,” she said. “You don’t want to have any gastric disturbances, and young horses in particular don’t have a very high pain threshold, so making sure to avoid any colic episodes or immense gas issues is critical.”
For all of her horses, including the young growing horses, Antonucci trusts research-backed Purina® feed to provide a strong, proven nutrition platform.
“The cornerstones of our approach to nutrition are sustainability and consistency,” she said. “In other words, having forage, grain and supplements that allow our horses to have a consistent availability of the nutrition, vitamins and fats they need. We take that really seriously, and I know that when we are feeding Purina® every bag is going to be the same, and that’s very, very important.”
Partnerships keep nutrition programs evolving
Ongoing evaluation is another key element of Antonucci’s horse management philosophy.“About once a year we check in on our nutrition program,” she said. “Stopping, pausing, assessing how nutrition has evolved and what new things are out there,” she said. Antonucci cites the recent introduction of the Purina® Microbiome Quotient™ (MQ™) Platform as an example of an advancement that made her reevaluate her nutrition protocols.
But Antonucci and her team don’t go it alone, relying on their ongoing partnership with Purina’s team of equine nutritionists to help.
“They are fantastic about peeling things back and getting in there and saying, ‘Hey, have we tried this? Have we objectively looked at it? How can we do this a little differently?’ That consultative role is an important one to me and one that’s available to anyone, whether they have one horse or an entire stable.”
As Antonucci walks the aisles of her barn, greeting horses individually like the old friends they are, it’s clear her dedication to laying strong foundations for her horses—mentally, physically and nutritionally—is rooted in a deep appreciation for how they enrich the lives of those who love and care for them. Her philosophy is a simple one: “Our horses show up for us every day and they give us everything. So how can we show up better every day for them?”
For Antonucci, showing up better for her horses means staying true to her philosophy of laying strong foundations. It’s prioritizing consistency. It’s putting her horses at the center of every breeding, training and nutrition decision. And not just for champions like Arcangelo, but for every foal, mare and stallion that are lucky enough to come under her care.
And while not all horse owners have access to world-class trainers like Antonucci, they do have access to the same team of equine nutritionists she relies on to keep her nutrition protocols on the cutting edge. To level up your nutrition program, check out Purina’s searchable library of horse educational content, go deeper into nutrition considerations for mares and foals, visit the Horse Breeding Resources page or use the Ask an Expert tool to get in touch with Purina® equine nutritionist.
