American Pharoah and Take Charge Brandi, last year's US champion juvenile male and female, head the list of 429 entries for the 2015 Triple Crown.
Take Charge Brandi started her 2015 season with a win in the Martha Washington Stakes over a mile at Oaklawn Park on the weekend.
“This was a comeback race and we’re obviously glad to have it under our belts,” said her trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
“It gives us something to build on. The big thing is getting this under her belt and moving on to the next one.”
Take Charge Brandi, who has the overall record of five wins from nine starts with $1.6 million in the bank, is one of 11 fillies entered for the Triple Crown.
The veteran Hall of Famer, now 79, trained Winning Colors, one of only three fillies to win the Kentucky Derby, and is the all-time leading trainer in Triple Crown victories with 14,
Lukas has won the Kentucky Derby four times, collected six victories in the Preakness, and won the Belmont Stakes four times.
Also among his 2015 Triple Crown nominees is Mr. Z, runner-up in the G1 Breeders' Futurity and third in the G1 Los Alamitos Futurity.
The number of early nominees to this year's $2 million Kentucky Derby (Churchill Downs May 2), $1.5 million Preakness Stakes ({Pimlico May 16) and $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (Belmont Park June 6) reflects an increase of 15 nominations.
There were 414 three-year-olds made eligible during the Triple Crown's early nomination phase last year, a 12.2% increase over the 369 horses entered in 2013.
There are 379 colts, 30 geldings, 11 fillies, and nine ridglings. Of the 429 early nominees, 409 were bred in the US, 13 in Canada, six foaled in Ireland and one in France.
A late nomination period for the Triple Crown is now underway, requiring a payment of $6000 by March 23.
American Pharoah won two of his three races in 2014 including G1 triumphs in the Del Mar Futurity and FrontRunner Stakes. He is one of 15 nominees trained by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.
Baffert has won nine Triple Crown races made up of three victories in the Kentucky Derby, five Preakness triumphs and one win in the Belmont Stakes.
Also among Baffert's nominees is the unbeaten Dortmund, recent winner of the G1 Los Alamitos Futurity.
Other stars among the early nominees to this year's Triple Crown include stunning Breeders Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red, G1 Breeders Futurity winner Carpe Diem, recent G2 Holy Bull winner Upstart; Calculator, runner-up to American Pharoah in the Del Mar Futurity and FrontRunner Stakes and winner of the G3 Sham Stakes; G1 Champagne Stakes winner Daredevil; and Competitive Edge, the unbeaten winner of the G1 Hopeful Stakes.
Todd Pletcher has the biggest number of Triple Crown nominees with the seven-time Eclipse Award winner lodging 34 horses led by Carpe Diem, Competitive Edge and Daredevil.
Chad Brown nominated 24 horses to rank second to Pletcher. Others with double-figure early nomination totals include Jerry Hollendorfer (16), Baffert (15), Lukas (14), Steve Asmussen (13), and Dale Romans (10).
Calumet Farm, the all-time leader in victories in the elusive series with 18, is the nomination leader among owners after making 15 horses eligible.
The victory by Oxbow in the 2013 Preakness was the first Triple Crown victory for Calumet Farm under new owner Brad Kelley and first for the operation since Forward Pass won the 1968 Preakness.
Ten Triple Crown early nominees are owned by Charles Fipke. Godolphin Racing, Michael Tabor, and Zayat Stables are next with nine nominees, owned either individually or in partnership.
