Venezuelan coach Jose D’Angelo has loved a meteoric rise to success since first establishing his steady within the U.S. in 2019. In solely 5 years, the 33-year-old has competed in a number of the world’s greatest races on the best phases — the Preakness Stakes, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, the Dubai World Cup, and now his newest journey: Royal Ascot. This yr, D’Angelo turned the one U.S.-based coach to hit the board on the prestigious Royal assembly when his $9,000 colt Gabaldon completed a gallant second within the Windsor Citadel Stakes. Owned by Soldi Stables, the 2-year-old had certified for a spot within the Ascot beginning gate following a pointy debut rating within the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
D’Angelo spoke with BloodHorse about his time over at Royal Ascot, his gut-wrenching defeat with Gabaldon, and adapting to the gross sales and racing in North America. He additionally mirrored on the horse who first put his identify on the nationwide radar 4 years in the past: Jesus’ Staff.
BloodHorse: Are you able to speak about your expertise at Royal Ascot? Was it such as you anticipated?
Jose D’Angelo: It was wonderful. When [Gabaldon] received the Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes I assumed it was the right time to go over there. As quickly as we certified to go over from Gulfstream, I known as George Weaver [who had run 2023 Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes winner No Nay Mets at Royal Ascot]. I’ve to thank him — he defined to me the method and occasions concerned [with going to Ascot] and likewise Fergus Galvin. He helped me select the best race for Gabaldon. At Ascot, you’ve gotten so many races run which can be very comparable versus over right here, in order that was new. He was an enormous assist. Each [Weaver and Galvin] pointed me in the best course.
BloodHorse: What are a number of the variations in coaching and racing at Royal Ascot versus the U.S.?
Jose D’Angelo: You’ve gotten so many various locations to coach the horse over there whereas over right here we simply have the one observe. In England, you’ve gotten fields, artificial tracks, and gallop lanes. You must be assured in your horse’s health as a coach.
One of the crucial vital issues I realized over there was that you need to know and perceive the observe. The course could be very hilly. It begins off downhill however the [second from last furlong] goes uphill after which the final furlong goes down once more. It’s laborious for the riders to evaluate.
Everybody stated to me I needed to stroll the observe with [jockey Emisael] Jaramillo. We ended up strolling the observe with [jockey] Oisin Murphy and he defined to us what to do and to note the place the dips are within the course.
BloodHorse: You’ve already received graded stakes races right here within the U.S. however what it imply for you and your group to take a horse over to Royal Ascot and carry out the way in which he did?
Jose D’Angelo: It was vital to us. To go abroad with a horse, particularly a 2-year-old is troublesome. Me and my group have gone to Dubai earlier than however we left with an older horse from Florida. However in Gabaldon’s case, we needed to go to Churchill Downs, prepare in the future there, after which go away the subsequent day from Indiana, after which to England. The horse has a variety of class and he dealt with the journey.
Up to now few days since coming house, I’ve watched the races on TV and also you see everybody there all dressed up and it’s loopy to assume we virtually received there. We’ll win subsequent time.
BloodHorse: Had been you anticipating that sort of efficiency from Gabaldon?
Jose D’Angelo: I used to be very assured in him. I instructed the house owners the morning of the race ‘Hey don’t fear about us at this time they’re going to see us in entrance the entire approach. They received’t contact us.’
You realize, he’s so quick. In coaching for this race, I knew I used to be going to lose one breeze so I targeted on coaching him to interrupt very quick from the gate. I introduced him to the gate so many occasions right here [in Florida]. And his exercises had been at all times designed to present him extra pace. It labored for him and he ran big.
BloodHorse: What’s subsequent for Gabaldon going ahead?
Jose D’Angelo: In all probability pointing towards the Breeders’ Cup [Juvenile Turf Sprint]. However the journey was an enormous stress on the horse. He was there lower than every week between arriving, coaching, racing, after which he left the day after the race. He’s going to a farm to relaxation, and he’ll inform us when he’s prepared to come back again.
BloodHorse: Are you able to speak about your relationship along with his proprietor, Soldi Stables?
Jose D’Angelo: Now we have a superb relationship. Alfonso Soued and Eli Soldi. They’ve supported me for a lot of years. They took a danger going over there with a 2-year-old. When you lose over there and run no good you’ll be able to lose some higher alternatives over right here value higher cash. However I thank them each for supporting me and believing in me. We went over there with a horse we paid $9,000 for with no huge pedigree and by no means misplaced confidence in us.
BloodHorse: You’ve been superb at profitable stakes races with low-priced horses. Jesus’ Staff ran for a $25,000 claiming tag whenever you first bought him. No Extra Time received Sam F. Davis Stakes and he value $40,000 and now Gabaldon.
Jose D’Angelo: Once they run they run, they don’t understand how a lot you paid for them. You simply should attempt to perceive them and so they’re going to attempt to give the perfect that they’ve.
BloodHorse: What do you sometimes search for when buying horses on the gross sales?
Jose D’Angelo: I arrived within the U.S. at 2019. It’s so much completely different shopping for horses right here than in Venezuela. In Venezuela, you need to attempt to purchase an even bigger, stronger sort of horse. There’s so, so many horses on the gross sales right here and once I first bought right here, I felt very misplaced. In 2020, I met Kenny McPeek. I instructed him ‘Hey Kenny, I want to study from you, you at all times have good horses’. He let me shadow him at two gross sales and provides me some recommendation after which the subsequent yr I did the identical with Donato Lanni and Bob Baffert. I realized so much with them.
Once I go to a sale, I attempt to apply that information that I realized and I really feel prefer it’s been working to date.
BloodHorse: Did you develop up with horses in Venezuela?
Jose D’Angelo: I grew up in a barn. My father was a coach in Venezuela. He got here to the USA in 2015. In 2012, I bought my license and began coaching myself in Venezuela. I did very nicely. I received the Eclipse over there for main apprentice coach. I received the massive race meet over there.
I moved to the U.S. in 2019 simply searching for higher alternatives. Our second yr, we went to the Preakness, our third yr we went to Dubai, and now we’ve gone to Royal Ascot. I’m so proud of my resolution to come back right here.
BloodHorse: What objectives did you’ve gotten for your self whenever you got here to the U.S. to start out coaching?
Jose D’Angelo: It was powerful at first. In Venezuela, I used to coach 150 horses. Once I got here right here, I needed to begin out from the underside. No one knew me right here and there weren’t many Venezuelan house owners right here both. I simply awakened daily joyful to go to the barn. I needed to begin with a variety of claiming horses. I respect claiming horses although; they educate you a large number. My purpose was at all times to go to the highest degree and the massive races. I grew up dreaming of competing in races just like the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup and now it’s beginning to occur for me.
I’ve round 90 horses now between Monmouth Park and South Florida [Palm Meadows Training Center and Gulfstream Park].
And subsequent week New York. We’re sending a string to Saratoga for the meet. Saratoga has at all times been good to me; yearly I’ve gone there I’ve received. This yr, I’m going to have extra horses there.
BloodHorse: What do you want about coaching and racing horses in South Florida?
Jose D’Angelo: My father was coaching horses right here, and as quickly as I arrived, I got here to his barn and now we work collectively. We’re a superb group. That’s allowed me to journey to New Jersey and New York as a result of I’ve him. He was a champion coach in Venezuela, I realized all the pieces from him
BloodHorse: You took Jesus’ Staff from a $25,000 claimer to a a number of Grade 1-placed earner of $1.3 million. What are you able to say reflecting in your expertise with that horse?
Jose D’Angelo: That horse put me on the map. His proprietor [Grupo 7C Stabe], too. I began working the horse at Palm Meadows and I bear in mind seeing Tiz the Legislation prepare down there. I used to be profitable races — although largely claiming races. I’m aggressive with myself and you need to be there [at the big races]. [Jesus’ Team] was working nice with huge gallop outs and I instructed my father ‘We’re going to the Derby with this horse’. So, we made a plan. With COVID-19 all of the dates for the Triple Crown races had been completely different. We ran within the Haskell and Pegasus at Monmouth and the horse certified into the Derby. We ended up simply going to the Preakness, and I believe that was the best resolution. The horse confirmed up — he ran third within the Preakness and second within the Pegasus.
