The early nominations for the Triple Crown are out, all 346 3-year-olds of them.
The 150thKentucky Derby (G1) is May 4, the 149thPreakness (G1) is May 18, and the 156thBelmont Stakes (G1) is June 8.
A by-the-numbers look at the contenders, with a tip of the cap to a news release issued Tuesday by Churchill Downs, home of the Derby.
1 – West Virginia-bred
1 ¼ — miles; changed distance from 1 ½ miles for 2024 Belmont
4 — fillies nominated (Candied, Gun Song, Life Talk and Kopion.
13 — New York-breds
13 – Triple Crown winners
15 – Florida breds
16 — horses produced by sire Constitution
20 – horses nominated by owner Mike Repole
18 – horses nominated by Bob Baffert and Brad Cox
28 – gray/roan horses
37 – horses foaled in Japan
42 – horses foaled outside the United States.
54 – horses nominated by trainer Todd Pletcher
65 — unraced horses nominated
129 — trainers who nominated horses
159 – bay horses
259 – Kentucky-breds
5,000 – dollars paid for lowest public auction purchase (Stretch Ride)
6,000 — dollars for late nomination fee (deadline April 1)
300,000 – dollars paid for highest public auction purchase (Sierra Leone)
1,500,000 – dollars in prize money for Preakness
2,000,000 – dollars in prize money for Belmont Stakes
5,000,000 – dollars in prize money for Kentucky Derby