He's the best three-year-old trotter racing in New York looking to win the best race for three-year-old trotters in New York.
Such is the Reader's Digest resume of Archangel, who prepares for another Yonkers Raceway work night, this time in Saturday's 58th Yonkers Trot.
For what it's worth, his name is first among the five entrants, who also include world champion Googoo Gaagaa, Market Share, Muscolo and Stormin Normand.
Then again, Archangel has made 'first' his modus operandi, after having finished first in his last five races entering the 58th Yonkers Trot.
The son of Credit Winner has run roughshod over his rivals this season, with the biggest portion of his purses earned in the final of the Empire Breeders Classic last month at Vernon Downs. Jim Morrill Jr., Archangel's driver in 10 of his last 11 pari-mutuel starts, will reprise the role Saturday.
"(Archangel) has been everything we could have hoped for," trainer Peter Arrigenna said of the $120,000 Harrisburg yearling purchase he co-owns with Alan Hainsworth and Clare Semer.
"I love working with young trotters," Arrigenna said. "I can teach them what to do and what not to do from Day One.
"Last season, Archangel showed me a lot (three wins, six seconds and a third in 13 starts). He had the speed, but he would occasionally pull himself up. He just needed to grow up.” All of Archangel's wins came against New York-breds, including a sire stakes win with pilot Jason Bartlett at Yonkers last September.
After a runner-up effort in the $175,000 final of the New York Sire Stakes, Archangel tested the open company waters. He finished second in his Breeders Crown elimination and sixth in the final, with both races won by Uncle Peter.
"I took the trotting hobbles off this season, because I didn't think he needed them," Arrigenna said. "It's worked out. He's more mature, and he can reach out his stride even further. I also added earplugs with him.”
This is not Arrigenna's first rodeo with a good trotter. His Tuesdays With Mom won the 2010 final of the New York Sire Stakes for three-year-old fillies and a wealth of earnings before having to be euthanized due to colic last December.
"I see a lot of her (Tuesdays With Mom) in Archangel. He knows what he's out there for. That may not sound like a big thing, but I've been around enough that didn't to make me appreciate it. He's also a horse who doesn't make it hard on himself. He just goes about his business. I have no idea how fast he really is.”
A Yonkers Trot trip was always on the radar.
"Definitely," Arrigenna said. "I know my horse can get around a small track, and he's earned the right to be there with the best.
“There are only five in there, but when you go against Googaa Gaagaa and Stormin Normand, there's a lot of talent.
"We're looking at the Grand Circuit for the rest of the season. He's eligible to all the Triple Crown races, the Colonial, Zweig, Canadian Trotting Classic, Breeders Crown and Matron.
"We even started to look down the road to standing him. He has all the credentials, except winning a major race."
That may change sooner rather than later.
(Yonkers)