Newly crowned champion juvenile Good Magic (Curlin) heads a list of 360 3-year-olds made eligible during the early nomination phase of the 2018 Triple Crown, comprised of the $2 million GI Kentucky Derby, $1.5 million GI Preakness S. And $1.5 million GI Belmont S.
Other notable early nominees include dual Grade I winner Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up Solomini (Curlin), GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), and Grade I-winning “TDN Rising Stars” McKinzie (Street Sense) and Sporting Chance (Tiznow).
Todd Pletcher, who saddle the Derby and Belmont winners in 2017, leads all trainers with 37 nominees and Triple Crown-winning conditioner Bob Baffert is second with 32.
Zayat Stables, who campaigned Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), topped the owner category with 12 horse nominated, followed by WinStar with 11. Charles Fipke leads the breeders with 11 homebred nominees and Gainesway was second with 10.
North America's leading sire Tapit, who is responsible for two Belmont winners including 2017 hero Tapwrit, topped all stallions with 22 early nominees. Pioneerof the Nile has 12 and Candy Ride (Arg) and Curlin are tied at 11.
Out of the 360 sophomores nominated, 324 are colts, 20 geldings, 12 ridglings and four fillies, including MGSW “TDN Rising Star” Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro). A total of 19 nominees are based outside of the U.S. with 13 from Europe, three from Dubai and three from Japan.
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