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Dubai Sky among nine late Triple Crown nominees
The overall nomination total of 438 horses is the largest since a record 460 horses were nominated to the coveted three-race series in 2007-08. The total of early and late nominees to this year's Triple Crown is an increase of 3.3 percent from 2014, when 10 late nominations boosted the overall nomination total to 424. Dubai Sky, from the stable of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, won the Spiral by 2 1/4 lengths in his first start over a synthetic racing surface after he opened his career with four races on turf that included a win in the Kitten's Joy at Gulfstream Park. The victory lifted his career record to 4-0-1 in five races and increased his earnings to $430,080. Mott also made Gotham (G3) runner-up Tiz Shea D (Tiznow) eligible for the Triple Crown prior to the late nomination deadline. He won his career debut in February at Parx in his only other start. The Saratoga Special victory and a runner-up finish to Competitive Edge (Super Saver) in the Hopeful remain the career highlights for the Tony Dutrow-trained I Spent It. The son of 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver recently returned from a five-month layoff with a sixth-place finish in an Oaklawn Park allowance race. I Spent It has a career record of 2-1-0 in five races and has earned $346,340. A number of Triple Crown nominees trained by Todd Pletcher has risen to 36 with the addition of Comfort (Indian Charlie) and Two Weeks Off (Harlan's Holiday). Comfort recently joined Pletcher's stable, while Two Weeks Off was last seen in competition in an August maiden victory at Saratoga. Other late nominees include Bridget's Big Luvy (Tiz Wonderful), who won the $100,000 Private Terms at Laurel for trainer Jeremiah Englehart; Divining Rod (Tapit), who was third in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and runner-up in the Sam F. Davis (G3) for trainer Arnaud Delacour; unbeaten Mr. Jordan (Kantharos), a two-time stakes winner in 2014 at Gulfstream Park West for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr.; and Pepper Roani (Broken Vow), runner-up in the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park for trainer Mike Maker. Three-year-olds not nominated for the Triple Crown series during either the early or late nomination phases have one more opportunity to become eligible to compete in those races through the payment of a supplemental nomination fee. Due at the time of entry for either the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness or the Belmont, the supplemental fee process makes a horse eligible for the remainder of the Triple Crown series once that fee is paid. A supplemental nomination at the time of entry to the Kentucky Derby requires payment of $200,000. The fee is $150,000 if paid prior to the Preakness or $75,000 at time of entry to the Belmont Stakes. The Kentucky Derby field has been limited to 20 starters since 1975 and the horses that enter the starting gate for this year's running will again be determined by points earned in the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" eligibility system, which debuted in 2013. If Derby entries total more than the maximum field of 20, up to four also-eligible entrants will be permitted. If one or more starters is scratched prior to 9 a.m. (EDT) on May 1, the also-eligible horse or horses with the highest preference in the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" system will be allowed to replace the scratched horse or horses in the starting gate. The field for the Preakness is limited to 14 starters, while the Belmont permits a maximum of 16 horses in its starting gate. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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