FILE - Sovereignty, ridden by Junior Alvarado, left, crosses the finish line to win the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby horse race followed by Journalism, ridden by Umberto Rispoli, May 3, 2025, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A total of 367 3-year-olds have been made eligible to compete in this year’s Triple Crown series during the early nomination period.
Each of the horses was nominated through a $600 payment to compete in the Kentucky Derby on May 2, Preakness at Laurel Park on May 16 and Belmont Stakes at Saratoga on June 6.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has nominated 31 horses, followed by two-time Triple Crown winner Bob Baffert (23), Chad Brown (22), Brad Cox (21) and Japan’s Daisuke Takayanagi (14).
Among the international nominees are 37 horses from Japan. Eleven fillies were nominated as well.
Horses that were not nominated to the Triple Crown series by the early deadline of Jan. 26 can make a late payment of $6,000 through April 6 to become eligible.
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AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing