Trainer Al Stall came out of Friday night’s races at Fair Grounds with two 3-year-olds who could start next in Kentucky Derby prep races. Departing ran his record to 2 for 2 by winning an open allowance race by 4 1/4 lengths, while Sunbean captured a Louisiana-bred allowance race by 1 3/4 lengths.

Led by the two 2-year-old champions of last year, the colt Shanghai Bobby and the filly Beholder, as well as Itsmyluckyday, the only horse to defeat Shanghai Bobby, a total of 369 3-year-olds were made early nominations to this year’s Triple Crown – the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes - Churchill Downs, the home of the Derby, announced on Saturday.

Super Ninety Nine and Code West are bound for major stakes for 3-year-olds after finishing first and second in a quick allowance race over a mile Thursday at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Super Ninety Nine ($5) stalked pacesetter Appealing Tale for the first six furlongs before pulling away to win by 3 1/4 lengths over Code West in 1:35.11. Super Ninety Nine was awarded a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

The allowance race was Super Ninety Nine’s first start around two turns. In his last start, he finished fourth in an allowance race over six furlongs.Risen Sta

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. –Trainer Mark Casse is loaded with 3-year-old prospects this winter although the most highly regarded of the group, Uncaptured, still remains at least a month away from making his 2013 debut.

Uncaptured, a son of Lion Heart owned by John Oxley, won 5 of 6 starts at 2, including both the Grade 3 Iroquois and Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs. The lone blemish on his record came in his two-turn debut over the Polytrack at Woodbine, where he finished fifth after an unlucky trip.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tour Guide is a 3-year-old at a crossroads. He won his second straight sprint stakes last weekend, and his connections are now debating whether to stretch him out to two turns for either the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest at Oaklawn on Feb. 18 or the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star at Fair Grounds on Feb. 23.

The eighth season of Countdown to the Crown returns as one of the most comprehensive handicapper’s scouting reports of the 3-year-old scene. Posted each Friday at DRF.com from Jan. 4 through the Belmont Stakes, Countdown keeps you apprised of the rising stars of the 3-year-old class from the maiden ranks through the Grade 1 stakes. You can access daily updates, opinions and interactive features at Countdowntothecrown.com as well.

Straight from the gate

ARCADIA, Calif. – The sun came out and the handicapping notebook filled up fast, with stuff like this . . .

◗ Average field size this winter at Santa Anita is a healthy 8.35 per race. Nice job by the racing office. In graded stakes, average field size is 6.80 and dropping – only four entered the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis on Saturday; just five in the Grade 2 San Antonio on Sunday.

[ROBERT B. LEWIS: Get Santa Anita PPs, watch Saturday's card live]

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Before trainer Todd Pletcher officially welcomes Revolutionary to his deep bench of Kentucky Derby candidates, he wants to see the colt put forth another performance similar to his last.

On Dec. 28, Revolutionary galloped to an 8 1/2-length maiden victory over Aqueduct’s inner track, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 102 and flashing the potential that led him to be heavily favored in all four of his starts.

If you had asked trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. last fall who would be his better 3-year-old prospect this season – Speak Logistics or Itsmyluckyday – he would have had a hard time answering.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Flashback was starting to jog back to the barn following a routine gallop at Santa Anita on Thursday morning when a misbehaving horse came close to brushing him right in front of the grandstand, where trainer Bob Baffert was watching.

“Get him out of there,” Baffert shouted to exercise rider Manny Avila, his voice a mixture of anxiety and jocularity.

“Whenever he’s out there, I just want to get it over with,” Baffert said.