Triple Crown News Release: Champion Forte Tops 369 Early Triple Crown Nominees

Feb 07, 2023

Led by 2-year-old champion and three-time Grade I winner Forte, a total of 369 3-year-old Thoroughbreds were made eligible to compete in this year’s Triple Crown series during the early nomination phase, which closed Saturday, Jan. 28.

FREE DOWNLOAD: 2023 Triple Crown Nominee Past Performances by BRISnet

Each of the 369 horses from the 2020 foal crop were made eligible through a $600 payment to compete in any leg of the Triple Crown series. The 2023 Triple Crown opens Saturday, May 6 with the 149th running of the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby (GI) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The 148th Preakness (GI), its 1 3/16-mile second jewel, is set for Saturday, May 20 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. The 155th running of the Belmont Stakes (GI), the series’ 1 ½-mile final leg, is scheduled for Saturday, June 10 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
The total early nominations rose by 18.2% or 57 horses from last year’s total of 312. The nominees include a record 37 horses based in Japan, 16 more than last year’s previous record of 21.
Forte, owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable and campaigned by Todd Pletcher, is scheduled to make his 2023 debut in the coming weeks. The champion colt won last year’s Hopeful (GI), Breeders’ Futurity (GI) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI). Forte is one of 36 horses nominated by Pletcher to this year’s Triple Crown.
Overall, 52 stakes winners were nominated to the Triple Crown. Some of the most notable: Arabian Knight (Southwest); Blazing Sevens (Champagne); Cave Rock (Del Mar Futurity); Curly Jack (Iroquois); Dubyuhnell (Remsen); Forte (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile); the filly Hoosier Philly (Golden Rod); Instant Coffee (Lecomte); Newgate (Robert B. Lewis); Practical Move (Los Alamitos Futurity); Rocket Can (Holy Bull); Two Phil’s (Street Sense) and Victory Formation (Smarty Jones).
Spenthrift Farm had 19 horses nominated to the Triple Crown that they are sole owners or involved in a partnership. They also bred two nominees.
Brad Cox led all trainers with 38 horses nominated to the Triple Crown including recent Lecomte Stakes (GIII) winner Instant Coffee. Pletcher was next with 36 nominees followed by Steve Asmussen (13), Kenny McPeek (13), Chad Brown (12) and Hideyuki Mori (12).
Horses not currently assigned a trainer or horses under the care of any trainer suspended from competing in the 2023 Kentucky Derby have their trainer listed as “TBD.” For the Kentucky Derby, horses under the care of any suspended trainer or affiliates may be transferred to a non-suspended trainer and become eligible for earning Road to the Kentucky Derby points on a forward-looking basis so long as the transfer is complete by Feb. 28.

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Early Triple Crown Nominees by the numbers:
  • $3,550,000: Highest public auction purchase – Hejazi (2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale).
  • $1,595,150: Highest earnings of an individual horse nominated (Forte). The other top earners (as of Feb. 3): Cave Rock ($748,000), Victoria Road (IRE) ($663,779), Dura Erede (JPN) ($633,186) and Private Creed ($618,913).
  • $3,000: Lowest public auction purchase – Accident (2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale).
  • 285: Number of Kentucky-bred horses. Other states represented are Florida (19), New York (19), California (5), Maryland (3), Pennsylvania (3), Oklahoma (2) and Texas (1).
  • 161: Number of registered Bay horses. Other registered colors are Dark Bay or Brown (93), Chestnut (74), Gray or Roan (39), Brown (1), Gray (1).
  • 125: Number of trainers that nominated horses to the Triple Crown.
  • 39: Horses who were foaled after Kentucky Derby Day (May 6).
  • 32: Horses foaled outside the United States. Other countries are Japan (24), Ireland (4), Canada (3) and Great Britain (1).
  • 17: Horses produced by sire Into Mischief. He’s followed by Curlin (15), Good Magic (14) and Justify (14).
  • 2: Fillies nominated. They are Hoosier Philly and Julia Shining
Three-year-olds that were not nominated to the Triple Crown during the early nomination phase can pay a late payment of $6,000 through Monday, March 27. Payments must be made at the time of nomination on www.thetriplecrown.com or by calling (502) 638-3825.
Thirteen horses have swept the Triple Crown series: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018).

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2023 Triple Crown Nominees (in alphabetical order):
(20)Appealing Zophie
(20)Nonna Bella
(20)Often (IRE)
(20)She's Hot Wired
(20)Storm Crossing
(20)Value Stream
Aaraj
Aaron
Abeliefinthislivin
Accident
Adcap
Advance Pharoah
Ah Jeez
Alternate Reality
American Speed
Amstrong
Andiamo a Firenze
Angel of Empire
Arabian Knight
Arabian Lion
Arctic Arrogance
Arman
Arrowthegreat
Arthur's Ride
B Minor
B West
Baby Billy
Banishing
Bank Frenzy
Be Punctual
Ben Franklin
Bishops Bay
Blocked
Bolt Supremacy
Bourbon Bash
Bourbon Resolve
Brigade Commander
Bring Theband Home
Cagliostro
Cairo (IRE)
Calm Sea
Calycanthus
Candidate
Captain Choochies
Capture the Lion
Carmel Road
Castle Island
Castlewarden
Cave Rock
Champagne Juan
Champions Dream
Charging
Circling the Drain
Citizen
Class Actor
Classic Car Wash
Classic Catch
Classic Legacy
Classical Cat
Clear the Air
Clubhouse
Confidence Game
Congruent
Continuar (JPN)
Corona Bolt
Cours Mirabeau (JPN)
Crupi
Crypto Ride
Cupidon
Curly Larray and Mo
Curren Alcantara (JPN)
Cuvier
Cyclone Mischief
Dats Mr. Mo
Dazzlemesilver
Del Mar Jerry
Demolition Duke
Denington
Derma Sotogake (JPN)
Determinedly
Disarm
Distinct Tale
Don Corleone
Donegal Arrow
Donegal Danny
D'oro Lemon
Dr. Kraft
Dreaming of Kona
Dreamlike
Drew's Gold
Dude N Colorado (GB)
Dura Erede (JPN)
Eastbound
Easy Action
Eclogite (JPN)
Ecoro Ares
Eirik Ridge
Emperor's Appeal
English Bob
Equivoque
Escalation
Escape Artist
Escapologist
Event Detail
Ever a Rebel
Everso Mischievous
Excel Calculator
Expect More
Expected Value
Extra Anejo
Eyeing Clover
Eyes On the King
Faustin
Favorable Scenario
Fearless Soldier
Fight'n Ready
First Defender
First Mission
First Strike
Five Star G Man
Fleet Feet
Fletcher
Fliparino
Flipper (JPN)
Fort Bragg
Fort Warren
Foxburg
Freedom Road
Freedom Trail
Freezing Point
From Dusk
Frosted Departure
Funtastic Again
Game Change
Game Keeper
Geaux Rocket Ride
General Banker
General Jim
Genius Jimmy
Ghost Hero
Giant Mischief
Gilmore
Go On Mo
God Blue Bee (JPN)
Golden Sombrero
Goraiko (JPN)
Greenland (IRE)
Guadalajara
Gulfport
Gun Pilot
Hard Mission
Hard to Figure
Harlocap
Havnameltdown
Hayes Strike
Hejazi
Heroic Move
High Strike
Highest Regards
Hit Show
Honed
Hoosier Philly
Hornung
I Don't Get It
Il Miracolo
Im a Modest Man
Infinite Series
Ironsides
Jackstown
Jasper World
Joey Freshwater
Julia Shining
Jungfrau
Justice Department
Kake's Arrow
Kalik
Kana Always (JPN)
Kangaroo Court
Keanu
Kentucky Joker
Kid Billy
Kid Ketchum
Kingdom Heart
Kingsbarns
La Perfect Bee
Langlee Avenue
Lap Star
Laver
Legacy Isle
Litigate
Loggins
Looms Boldly
Lord Miles
Love Me Not
Low Expectations
Lux Frontier (JPN)
Mad Hustle
Mage
Magic City
Magico
Major Blue
Major Dude
Mandarin Hero (JPN)
Manibhadra
Mayfield Strong
Mazing Mark
Medjed (JPN)
Mendelssohns March
Meta Max
Meteorite
Mi Hermano Ramon
Midnight Rising
Miracle Worker
Miranda Rights
Mokku Mokku (JPN)
Moment Catch (JPN)
Monegasque
Moon Landing
Mo's Treasure
Mount Up
Mr Fisk
Mr. Keating
Mr. Ripple
My Man Ira
National Treasure
Nation's Call (IRE)
Navy Man
Neural Network
Nielson
Notah
Nullarbor
Ocasek
Odonata
Ohana Honor
Omega Tuxedo (JPN)
One in Vermillion
Orion's Way
Ormstown
Our Dream Rye'd
Palace Gate
Pappy Wolfe
Paradise Perfect
Perriere (JPN)
Petcoff
Pink Soleil
Pioneer Prince
Plavi (JPN)
Point Proven
Power in Numbers
Powerful
Prairie Hawk
Prince of Jericho
Private Creed
Promise Me a Ride
Prospering
Protege
Prove Worthy
Pursuit of Power
Quadra Island
Quality West
Quaternion
Raise Cain
Raven's Nest
Ready Shakespeare
Reckoning Force
Red Route One
Redeemer
Relampago Verde
Richer (JPN)
Ride Up
Ringside
Riverside
Rocking Rocket
Route Runner
Rudder's Men
Rule Breaker
Run Cory Run
Runandscore
Santorini
Scoobie Quando
Secret Threat
Seeking Unity
Sensical
Seven's Eleven
Sgt. Pepper
Shadow Dragon
Shaq Diesel
Shesterkin
Shirl's Bee
Shopper's Revenge
Signator
Silver Heist
Simovic
Single Ruler
Skinner
Slip Mahoney
Sonoran
Sorakarano Chikara
Speed Boat Beach
Speed of the Nile
Stormy Entry
Sully
Summer Cause
Sun Thunder
Sunday Funday (JPN)
Sunrise Sieg (JPN)
T O Ricardo (JPN)
Tall Boy
Talladega
Tapit Shoes
Tapit Trice
Tapit's Conquest
Tapit's Tale
Tatum
Ten Days Later
Texas Pride
Theismann
There Be Dragons
Till Dawn
Timaeus
Tiz Tok
Transect
Treaty Obligation
Truehood
Tshiebwe
Tufnel
Turbo
Tuskegee Airmen
Two Eagles River
Two Phil's
U. S. Army
Ultimate Gamble
Uncle Jake
Uncorrelated
Union Trail
Vegas Burner
Vendaval y Rabiar (JPN)
Verifying
Victoria Road (IRE)
Vigorish
Wadsworth
War Officer
Weekend Tizzy
West Coast Cowboy
Western Ghent
Weyhill Road
Wigmore Street
Willakenzie
Wine Wine Red
Winters Lion
Wizard of Westwood
Woodythebidspotter
Worcester
Work Order
Worthington
Yellow Brick
Yuttitham (JPN)

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