LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Undefeated Uncle Mo leads the list of 364 early nominees for the Triple Crown series for 3-year-olds.
The colt won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Eclipse Award as last year’s top 2-year-old. Uncle Mo has a chance to give trainer Todd Pletcher consecutive victories in the Kentucky Derby, which Pletcher won last year with Super Saver.
Pletcher nominated a leading 20 horses, as did Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Steve Asmussen nominated 17 horses, while Hall of Famers D. Wayne Lukas and Nick Zito have 12 each.
The early nomination period, when horses can be nominated for $600 each, closed Jan. 22. The late period, when nominations cost $6,000 each, closes on March 26.
The Triple Crown begins with the Derby on May 7, followed by the Preakness on May 21 and the Belmont on June 11.
