347 Horses Nominated to Triple Crown Races

Led by 2-year-old champion and upset TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Storm the Court, a total of 347 3-year-old Thoroughbreds were made eligible to compete in this year's Triple Crown during the early nomination phase, which closed Jan. 25.

Each of the 347 horses from the 2017 foal crop was made eligible through a $600 payment to compete in any of the Triple Crown contests: the 146th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) May 2 at Churchill Downs (1 1/4 miles); the 145th running of the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes (G1) May 16 at Pimlico Race Course (1 3/16 miles); and the 152nd running of the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (G1) June 6 at Belmont Park (1 1/2 miles). 

The total slipped 4.1%, or 15 horses, from last year's 362 who were nominated at the early stage.

Full List of 2020 Early Nominations to the Triple Crown Series

Storm the Court, owned by Exline-Border Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson, and Dan Hudock, is slated to make his 3-year-old debut Feb. 9 in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (G2) over seven furlongs at Santa Anita Park. Trained by Peter Eurton, the Kentucky-bred son of Court Vision  improved his record to 4-2-0-1 with earnings of $1,172,951 when he scored a head victory over fellow Triple Crown nominee Anneau d'Or at odds of 45-1 in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita.

Other prominent nominees include Sham Stakes (G3) winner Authentic; Runhappy Hopeful Stakes (G1) winner Basin; Mucho Macho Man Stakes victor Chance It; Iroquois Stakes (G3) winner Dennis' Moment; American Pharoah Stakes (G1) winner Eight Rings; Lecomte Stakes (G3) victor Enforceable; Sugar Bowl Stakes and Smarty Jones Stakes winner Gold Street; Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) winner Green Light Go; Bob Hope Stakes (G3) victor High Velocity; Nashua Stakes (G3) and Jerome Stakes winner Independence Hall; Pasco Stakes scorer Liam's Lucky Charm; Withers Stakes (G3) winner Max Player; Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) winner Maxfield; Swale Stakes (G3) scorer Mischevious Alex; Remington Springboard Mile Stakes victor Shoplifted; Remsen Stakes (G2) winner Shotski; Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) winner Silver Prospector; Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Presented by Coolmore America (G1T) and Pilgrim Stakes (G3T) winner Structor; Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) and Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) winner Thousand Words; and Tiz the Law, winner of the Champagne Stakes (G1) and Holy Bull Stakes (G3).

Todd Pletcher, a two-time winner of the Kentucky Derby and three-time winner of the Belmont, leads all trainers with 26 nominations. Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, who has won three Triple Crown races, and fellow Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, a winner of a record 15 classics, rank next with 21 and 19 nominees, respectively. 

Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm leads all owners with 13 nominations. Godolphin is the leading breeder with nine nominees.

American Pharaoh, who swept the 2015 Triple Crown and whose first foals are 3-year-olds of 2020, is the leading sire with 15 offspring nominated. Uncle Mo  ranks next with 13, followed by Into Mischief  (12), Constitution  (10), Liam's Map  (10), Curlin  (9), and Tapit  (9).

Seven fillies were nominated, including three-time stakes winner Finite and unbeaten Taraz, who comfortably won the Letellier Memorial at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and took the Martha Washington Stakes last out at Oaklawn Park. 

The nominees also include 35 horses based outside North America, including a significant 20 from Japan—up from four last year—led by Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun winner Vacation and Cattleya Sho winner Dieu du Vin. Eleven horses were nominated from Ireland, including six from powerhouse trainer Aidan O'Brien, led by Juddmonte Royal Lodge (G2) winner Royal Dornoch and another three trained by O'Brien's son, Joseph O'Brien.

Horses not nominated to the Triple Crown during the early phase can be made eligible at thetriplecrown.com for $6,000 during the late nomination period, which continues through March 30. If not nominated by that date, horses can become eligible through payment of a supplemental nomination fee due at the time of entry for either the Kentucky Derby ($200,000), Preakness ($150,000), or Belmont ($50,000).