King Guillermo Heads Late Triple Crown Nominees

Grade 2 winner King Guillermo, the runner-up in the Arkansas Derby (G1) division won by Nadal, leads a total of 22 3-year-olds made eligible to compete in the 2020 Triple Crown with a late $3,000 payment.

The original cost of $6,000 for late entry was reduced once the deadline was extended to June 3. 

The Uncle Mo  colt, who took the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) for owner Victoria's Ranch and trainer Juan Carlos Avila, is set to train up to the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) from Avila's base at Gulfstream Park.

Also among the late nominees is Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver, a Daredevil  filly trained by Ken McPeek. The winner of the Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park and the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) leads the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard and is the morning-line favorite for the June 6 Santa Anita Oaks (G2). McPeek said he felt his filly had proven her worth as a serious contender and hoped the nomination would spur a conversation about how fillies could better earn points toward Derby eligibility. 

"The fact that they cut the fee in half certainly was good," McPeek said. "(Swiss Skydiver) has paid her way to have that option, and she continues to improve. We will have to see how the rest of the summer goes, but it's one of those years. It's an unusual year, and weirder things have happened.

"It's a shame that fillies don't get some points for their races (toward the Derby), but maybe it will give Churchill Downs some thought as to how they could approach that. Fillies have won the Derby, but getting in is a little problematic on points. We've thought about all of that with her, but we will see how it goes." 

In alphabetical order, the nominees are: Zayat Stables' (via "Receiver") Alex Joon (trained by Steve Asmussen); Long Valley Stables' American Piper (Rick Buckley); West Point Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stables' Bear Alley (Dale Romans); Calumet Farm's Casino Grande (Christophe Clement); Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and St. Elias Stable's Cezanne (Bob Baffert); Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider, and John Xitco's Collusion Illusion (Mark Glatt); Chiefswood Stables' Edge of Fire (Jimmy Jerkens); Twin Creeks Racing Stables and Mt. Brilliant Farm's Established (Mike Stidham); Calumet Farm's High Cruise (Jack Sisterson); Dream Walkin Farm's Hunt the Front (Nick Zito); King Guillermo; Euro Stable's Lebda (Claudio Gonzalez); Godolphin's Mystic Guide (Stidham); Winchell Thoroughbreds' Pneumatic (Asmussen); Exline-Border Racing, ERJ Racing, and Dan Hudock's Shooters Shoot (Peter Eurton); Irv Cowen's Superfecto (Ralph Nicks); Swiss Skydiver; Karl Watson, Michael Pegram, and Paul Weitman's Uncle Chuck (Baffert); Michael Dubb and David Simon's Well Connected (Mike Maker); Barry Schwartz's Winners Laugh (Linda Rice); West Point Thoroughbreds and Pearl Racing's Winning Impression (Dallas Stewart); Gary and Mary West's Winning Moment (Baffert).

There are now 369 horses eligible to participate in the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles June 20 at Belmont Park, the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at 1 1/4 miles Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs, and the 145th running of the Preakness Stakes (G1) at 1 3/16 miles Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course. The early nomination total was 347 at $600 per horse when it closed Jan. 25.