El Camino Real Derby Runner-Up Tapalo Leads Nine Late Triple Crown Nominees

Hronis Racing's Tapalo (Tapiture), the El Camino Real Derby runner-up and a contender in Saturday's GI Santa Anita Derby, leads a cast of nine 3-year-olds that were made eligible to compete in the 2024 Triple Crown with a late $6,000 payment that was due Monday.

Trained by John Sadler, Tapalo is expected to enter Saturday's Santa Anita Derby.

The nine late nominees (pending late mail):

Hronis Racing's Tapalo;
Tri Star Racing & Cimarron TTT's Awesome Ruta (Mendelssohn);
Lewis Family Racing Stables' Celtic Contender (Irish War Cry);
Ten Strike Racing, Four Cornerss Racing, Broadview Stables, Cory Moelis Racing and Jeremy Sussman's D Day Sky (Omaha Bech);
Travin Stables' Evening News (Nyquist);
Vicente Stables' Le Dom Bro (Mucho Macho Man);
John Parker's Lonesome Boy (Nationhood);
Average Joe Racing Stables and Dan Wells' Mugatu (Blofeld); and
Gelfenstein Farm's Secret Chat (Union Rags).

In total, there are now 354 eligible 3-year-olds to compete in the Triple Crown series which consists of the $5-million GI Kentucky Derby, $1.5-million GI Preakness S. and $1.5-million GI Belmont S.

Any horse not nominated during the early or late phases can become Triple Crown eligible through a supplemental nomination payment due at the time of entry for each Triple Crown race: Kentucky Derby ($200,000 for all three Triple Crown races or $50,000 for the Kentucky Derby only), Preakness ($150,000) and Belmont ($50,000).