Triple Crown nominations dip to 312
Led by Breeders’ Cup winners Corniche and Echo Zulu, as well as last weekend’s significant prep winners – Early Voting, Messier, and White Abarrio – and major stakes winners Newgrange, Rattle N Roll, Slow Down Andy, and Smile Happy, a total of 312 3-year-olds have been made early nominees to this year’s Triple Crown.
The early nominations were announced Monday afternoon by Churchill Downs, which plays host to the first Triple Crown race, the Kentucky Derby, on May 7. The Preakness on May 21, and the Belmont on June 11, complete the series.
Other significant nominees include Grade 1 winners Jack Christopher and Pinehurst.
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Early nominations were due late last month, for just $600. At this stage last year, there were 326 early nominations, so this drop continues to reflect the concurrent winnowing of the foal crop. The Triple Crown began a common nomination form in 1986. This is the lowest early nomination total since that commenced. The previous low was 315 in 1990. There is a second nomination period available March 28, but it costs $6,000 at that point to be nominated. There were nine late nominees at that point last year.
There also are supplemental fees offered for those not nominated at either point, but the price is steep – $200,000 before the Derby, $150,000 prior to the Preakness, and $50,000 for the Belmont alone.
Corniche, Messier, Newgrange, and Pinehurst are among 18 early nominees currently trained by Bob Baffert, who is barred from this year’s Derby by Churchill Downs but is eligible to run in the remaining legs of the Triple Crown. In order for those horses to run in the Derby, they would have to be transferred to another trainer and subsequently earn enough points in prep races to make the maximum 20-horse field. If they run only in the Preakness and/or Belmont, no such transfer is needed.
Todd Pletcher leads all trainers, with 42 nominees, 13.5 percent of the entire list. Brad Cox is next with 26, followed by Chad Brown – trainer of Early Voting and Jack Christopher – with 23.
Echo Zulu is one of six fillies nominated to the Triple Crown. She is trained by Steve Asmussen, who has 20 early nominees. Asmussen won the 2009 Preakness with the filly Rachel Alexandra.
Slow Down Andy is trained by Doug O’Neill, a two-time winner of the Derby. O’Neill has three early nominees.
Kenny McPeek trains both Rattle N Roll and Smile Happy. He has five early nominees. Saffie Joseph Jr., trainer of White Abarrio, has eight.
One of the more significant absences is Oviatt Class, who was taken out of Triple Crown consideration last week owing to an injury. His trainer, Keith Desormeaux, counts among his three nominees Call Me Midnight.
There are two spots in the Derby field that can go to the top point earners in separate series for Derby runners in both Europe and Japan. Japanese interest was strong, with 21 horses based there listed as early nominees. There are two based in Europe, and one based in Dubai.
Siena Farm leads all owners with interests in 24 nominees, including a dozen with the partnership that campaigns Messier.
Gun Runner, sire of Echo Zulu, leads all sires with 16 progeny nominated. Into Mischief is next with 14.