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Essential Quality Tops 326 Early Triple Crown Nominees

Led by 2-year-old champion and two-time Grade I winner Essential Quality (Tapit), a total of 326 3-year-olds were made eligible to compete in this year's Triple Crown during the early nomination phase, which closed Jan. 23. Each of the 326 horses from the 2018 foal crop were made eligible through a $600 payment to compete in any leg of the Triple Crown series. The 2021 Triple Crown opens Saturday, May 1 with the 147th running of the GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill, continues with the 146th GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 15 and closes with the 153rd running of the GI Belmont S. Saturday, June 5.

Essential Quality, owned by Godolphin, is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the GIII Southwest S. Feb. 15 at Oaklawn, according to his trainer Brad Cox. The champion 2-year-old of 2020 was one of 14 horses Cox nominated to this year's Triple Crown series. Todd Pletcher led all conditioners with 45 horses nominated to the Triple Crown followed by Bob Baffert (23), Steve Asmussen (22) and Chad Brown (18). Godolphin led all individual owners with 11 horses nominated followed by Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm with 10. A total of 42 stakes winners were nominated as well as 13 fillies, led by champion Vequist (Nyquist). Into Mischief topped all sires with 20 nominees, followed by Curlin (14), Uncle Mo (14) and Constitution (13).

Horses not nominated during the early phase can be made eligible until Monday, Mar. 29 with a $6,000 payment. Any horse not nominated during the early or late phases can become Triple Crown eligible through payment of a supplemental nomination fee due at the time of entry for each Triple Crown race: the Kentucky Derby ($200,000), Preakness ($100,000) and Belmont ($50,000).

For a full list of nominees, click here.

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Essential Quality Leads Group Of 326 Early Nominees To Triple Crown

Led by 2-year-old champion and two-time Grade 1 winner Essential Quality, a total of 326 3-year-old Thoroughbreds were made eligible to compete in this year's Triple Crown during the early nomination phase, which closed Jan. 23.

Each of the 326 horses from the 2018 foal crop were made eligible through a $600 payment to compete in any leg of the Triple Crown series. The 2021 Triple Crown opens Saturday, May 1 with the 147th running of the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The 146th Preakness, its 1 3/16-mile second jewel, is set for Saturday, May 15 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. The 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes, the series' 1 ½-mile final leg, is scheduled for Saturday, June 5 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Essential Quality, owned by Godolphin, is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (GIII) on Feb. 15 at Oaklawn, according to his trainer Brad Cox. The champion 2-year-old of 2020 was one of 14 horses Cox nominated to this year's Triple Crown series.

Trainer Todd Pletcher led all conditioners with 45 horses nominated to the Triple Crown followed by Bob Baffert (23), Steve Asmussen (22) and Chad Brown (18).

Godolphin led all individual owners with 11 horses nominated followed by Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm with 10.

Overall, 42 stakes winners were nominated to the Triple Crown. Among them are Brooklyn Strong (Remsen); Caddo River (Smarty Jones); Capo Kane (Jerome); Fire At Will (Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf); Get Her Number (American Pharoah); Greatest Honour (Holy Bull); Jackie's Warrior (Champagne); Keepmeinmind (Kentucky Jockey Club); Life Is Good (Sham); Medina Spirit (Robert B. Lewis); Midnight Bourbon (Lecomte); Senor Buscador (Springboard Mile); Sittin On Go (Iroquois); Spielberg (Los Al Futurity).

Total nominations were 21 fewer horses than last year's 347 during the early stage, a slip of 6.1%.

Early Triple Crown Nominees by the numbers:

· $1.5 million: Tied for the highest public auction purchase price between Conquer the World (2019 Fasig Tipton August) and Golden Whim (2019 Keeneland September Yearling).

· 265: Number of Kentucky-bred horses. Other states represented are California (5), Florida (14), Illinois (1), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), New Jersey (1), New York (17), Pennsylvania (2), Virginia (1), Washington (2) and West Virginia (1).

· 20: Horses produced by top sire Into Mischief. He's followed by Curlin (14), Uncle Mo (14) and Constitution (13).

· 14: Horses foaled outside of the United States. Other countries are Canada (7), Ireland (4) and Japan (3).

· 13: Number fillies that were nominated. Among them are champion 2-year-old filly and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) winner Vequist and Ashland (GI) winner Simply Ravishing.

· 5: Number of horses nominated who are based in Japan including Zennippon Nisai Yushun winner Alain Barows (JPN) and Cattelya Sho winner Lemon Pop.

Horses not nominated during the early phase can be made eligible until Monday, March 29 with a $6,000 payment. Any horse not nominated during the early or late phases can become Triple Crown eligible through payment of a supplemental nomination fee due at the time of entry for each Triple Crown race: the Kentucky Derby ($200,000), Preakness ($100,000) and Belmont ($50,000).

Thirteen horses have swept the Triple Crown series: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018).

The full list of Triple Crown nominees is available here: 2021 Early Triple Crown Nominees

The post Essential Quality Leads Group Of 326 Early Nominees To Triple Crown appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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After Distaff Disappointment, ‘Shining Light’ Swiss Skydiver To Race Again In 2021

Preakness Stakes winner Swiss Skydiver will run as a 4-year-old next year, owner Peter Callahan told Horse Racing Nation after the filly finished a disappointing seventh in the weekend's Breeders' Cup Distaff.

The daughter of Daredevil stumbled at the start of the race and never recovered, but she had a stellar 2020 campaign that included wins in the Preakness over males, G1 Alabama, G2 Santa Anita Oaks, G3 Fantasy, and G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks. Swiss Skydiver's record stands at six wins from 12 starts for earnings of $1,812,980; not bad for a filly that cost $35,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland September saale.

“I'm OK finishing where we finished at the back of the pack, because there is a life lesson to be learned,” Callahan told Horse Racing Nation. “In this day and age everybody gets a trophy, and that's nonsense. You've got to learn to lose. You've got to take disappointment and rejection.”

Swiss Skydiver emerged from the Distaff with a few nicks and bruises, and will head to Magdalena Farm for some down time before a 2021 campaign is mapped out. The Pegasus at Gulfstream on Jan. 23 is too soon and is not on the radar for the filly.

“It's been an amazing year. She's just been real special to be around,” added trainer Kenny McPeek. “Through all the pandemic and everything, she's just been a real shining light.”

Daredevil to Stand at Lane’s End for 2021

One of the top second-crop sires Daredevil (More Than Ready–Chasethewildwind, by Forty Niner) will relocate to Lane’s End Farm for the 2021 breeding season. The GI Champagne S. victor will stand for $25,000.

Sire of 3-year-old sensations Swiss Skydiver and Shedaresthedevil, Daredevil is third on the North American-based, second-crop sire behind only American Pharoah and Constitution with just over half as many starters.

Daredevil is the only first-crop sire to ever sire an individual winner of the GI Kentucky Oaks and the GI Preakness S. in the same year. Swiss Skydiver is only the sixth filly to win the second leg of the Triple Crown in its 145 years. Shedaresthedevil was her sire’s first Classic winner in 2020 and led home the exacta for her sire in the most prestigious 3-year-old fillies race of the year. These two Grade I winners from just 74 starters in 2020 represent a 2.78%, Grade I winners to starters. Behind only Galileo worldwide at 3.6% and ahead of North American-based super sires War Front (1.5%), Speightstown (1.35%), More Than Ready (1.27%), Tapit (.83%) and Into Mischief (.77%) in 2020.

After standing his first four years at stud at WinStar, Daredevil was sold to The Turkish Jockey Club. Daredevil covered 97 mares in his first season in Turkey this year, the biggest book of any stallion in the country. Daredevil will stand at Lane’s End as property of the Jockey Club of Turkey.

“We are extremely honored that the Jockey Club of Turkey is entrusting us with the continuation of Daredevil’s stallion career in America,” said Bill Farish. “What he has accomplished is nothing short of remarkable. I would like to personally thank Murat Sancal for his ongoing efforts, the board members of the TJK, and especially the President Mr. Serdal Adali. This is the beginning of a very fruitful relationship with them and we are very grateful.”

Daredevil is in quarantine in preparation for his departure to Kentucky. He will arrive at Lane’s End near the end of November and be available for inspection shortly after.

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