Triple Crown deadline near

The secondary period of nomination of horses to this year's Triple Crown ends at midnight Saturday.

The nominating fee for this period is $6,000. The original nominating period closed on Saturday, Jan. 24, when the fee to qualify for all three races making up the Triple Crown - the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes - was $600. Four hundred one early nominations were posted.

Nominations will be accepted by Churchill Downs, Triple Crown Productions, the Maryland Jockey Club, and the New York Racing Association.