Jena Antonucci & Daily Racing Form

Jena Antonucci grew up riding show horses starting quite young at 3 years old. Focused on hunters, jumpers, and equitation, she spent a lot of time retraining green retired thoroughbreds having no idea where it would lead to later in life. This exposure led to the curiosity to ask the question of how thoroughbreds are trained and developed.

With this hunger to learn, Jena was honored to work under the D. Wayne Lukas breaking and training program at Padua Stables, starting young Thoroughbreds. With the full intention of returning to show horse land with this new perspective and growth, the thoroughbred industry won out, and the rest is history!

Jena then worked as an equine veterinary assistant for several years. This opportunity gave her another perspective on horses and their health and has proved to be invaluable.

Antonucci, who began her association with horses in the show world, has been training horses since 2010.

“I had the honor of working under the D. Wayne Lukas program at Padua Stables, breaking and training Thoroughbreds. The knowledge I gained there allowed me to evolve my training skillset and further apply it to the off-the-track training program at the farm,” says Antonucci. “After that experience, I worked as an equine veterinary assistant for four and a half years, giving me another perspective on horses and their health.”

She started Bella Inizio Farm soon after, caring for broodmares, foals, weanlings and yearlings, before her focus shifted back to rehabilitating Thoroughbreds.

Through the farm, Antonucci and business partner Katie Miranda run horseOlogy, a comprehensive program handling all aspects of thoroughbred raising, training, and racing. A core principle of horseOlogy is to ensure proper equine rehabilitation and layup, as well as to provide a home in retirement.

Antonucci, who began her association with horses in the show world, has been training horses since 2010.

“I had the honor of working under the D. Wayne Lukas program at Padua Stables, breaking and training Thoroughbreds. The knowledge I gained there allowed me to evolve my training skillset and further apply it to the off-the-track training program at the farm,” says Antonucci. “After that experience, I worked as an equine veterinary assistant for four and a half years, giving me another perspective on horses and their health.”

She started Bella Inizio Farm soon after, caring for broodmares, foals, weanlings and yearlings, before her focus shifted back to rehabilitating Thoroughbreds.

Through the farm, Antonucci and business partner Katie Miranda run horseOlogy, a comprehensive program handling all aspects of thoroughbred raising, training, and racing. A core principle of horseOlogy is to ensure proper equine rehabilitation and layup, as well as to provide a home in retirement.

Jena opened Bella Inizio Farm in 2010, initially focusing on reproductive work, young horses, and rehabilitating racehorses. Her 1st win was on March 7, 2010, at Tampa Bay Downs. Jena continues her winning racing program today by being the 1st female thoroughbred trainer to win the Belmont Stakes and, in doing so, also became the first female to win a Triple Crown Race on June 10, 2023. On August 26, 2023, Jena became just the second female to win the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Racecourse.

In July 2022, Jena Antonucci and Katie Miranda launched horseOlogy, a minority and women-owned full-cycle thoroughbred training and ownership organization based in Ocala, Florida. horseOlogy handles everything related to thoroughbred breeding, training, and racing. They offer bloodstock advising, pinhooking, small-share partnerships, and more. They are a serious team that wants to bring humor and enjoyment back into the sport of horseracing to make it relatable to the next generation of enthusiasts while respecting the long-steeped traditions.

horseOlogy Encore, a 501c3 non-profit, was established by Jena and Katie in 2023 to meet the needs of retiring horses. Whether looking for a permanent pasture home or the important support of transitioning to their next career, horseOlogy Encore is now available to existing and new clients.

In October 2023, Jena and Arcangelo's owner Jon Ebbert of Blue Rose Farm were the first connections to participate in this year's New Vocations Breeders' Cup Pledge, which earmarks a percentage of their championship earnings to support the charity's mission to rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome retired racehorses.