NEWS
Hansen, Union Rags lead list of 398 early Triple Crown nominees
Posted: Saturday, February 04, 2012 5:13 PM
HANSEN
PhotosByZ.com/Thoroughbred Times
(Cyber Secret was added to the list of Triple Crown nominees on February 7 due to a clerical error).
For a list of all early 2012 Triple Crown nominees, click here.
For statistics of early 2012 Triple Crown nominees, click here.
Champion two-year-old male Hansen and Grade 1 winner Union Rags lead a list of 398 three-year-olds nominated to the Triple Crown series.
The Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) will take place on May 5 at Churchill Downs, followed by the Preakness Stakes (G1) on May 19 at Pimlico Race Course, and the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 9 at Belmont Park.
The early Triple Crown nomination deadline, which required a payment of $600, closed January 21. A late nomination period, which requires a payment of $6,000, will run through March 24.
The 398 early nominees for the Triple Crown marks a 9.1% increase compared with 2011, when 364 three-year-olds were nominated to the series.
Six fillies were nominated to the Triple Crown: Disposablepleasure, Indian Magique, Lady of Shamrock, On Fire Baby, Princess Arabella, Reneesgotzip.
Todd Pletcher led all trainers with 32 horses nominated to the Triple Crown, followed by Bob Baffert with 21, Steve Asmussen and Nick Zito with 15 each, and Dale Romans with 14.
WinStar Farm stallion Tiznow and Taylor Made Stallions’ resident stallion Unbridled’s Song tied for the lead among sires with 12 three-year-olds nominated. Street Sense and Malibu Moon had 11 nominees each and War Front had ten nominees.
A Triple Crown sweep—one of the most difficult feats in all of sports—has been accomplished just 11 times: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1942), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978). Fifty other horses have finished one win shy of capturing the series.
