The early deadline for owners and trainers to make their horses eligible for the 2016 Triple Crown is set to close on Saturday, Jan. 16. Saturday's deadline for online, telephone or faxed nominations is 11:59 p.m. The nomination of each 3-year-old must be accompanied by a fee of $600 to make the individual eligible to compete in any or all of Triple Crown contests.
A late nomination period, which requires the payment of $6,000 for each nominated 3-year-old, will open at 12 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 17 and continues through Monday, March 21.
The 2016 Triple Crown series kicks off Saturday, May 7 with the GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, and is followed by the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 21 and the GI Belmont S. June 11.
All Triple Crown nominations made by traditional mail during the early phase must be postmarked by the Jan. 16 closing date. Nominations can easily be made online, by telephone with a designated representative from one of the three Triple Crown host tracks or via fax. Online, telephone and fax nominations must be completed prior to the 11:59 p.m. deadline Jan. 16.
Last year's Triple Crown early nomination phase attracted 429 nominees, a 3.6% increase from the 414 horses made eligible during the early period in 2014. An additional nine 3-year-olds were added during 2015's late nomination phase, which raised the final total to 438. The overall 2015 total was the largest since 2008.
The Derby will be limited to 20 starters and four also-eligibles determined by the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points system. The Preakness is limited to 14 starters, while the Belmont has a maximum field of 16 horses.
Sophomores that were not nominated to the Triple Crown during either the early or late nomination phases have a final opportunity to become eligible for the races through payment of a supplemental nomination fee. Due at the time of entry for either the Kentucky Derby, Preakness or Belmont, the supplemental fee makes a horse eligible for the remainder of the Triple Crown series. A supplemental nomination at the time of entry to the Kentucky Derby requires payment of $200,000. The fee is $150,000 prior to the Preakness or $75,000 at time of entry to the Belmont.
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