Late Triple Crown nominees include Helium, Weyburn

Helium, winner of the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, and along with Gotham (G3) upset hero and likely Wood Memorial (G2) entrant Weyburn were among nine Thoroughbreds made eligible to compete in the 2021 Triple Crown with a $6,000 late payment that was due Monday.

With nine late nominees during the Jan. 23-March 29 late nomination phase (pending late mail), there now are 335 horses eligible to compete in the Triple Crown’s three race series. The 2021 Triple Crown opens May 1 with the 147th running of the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The 146th Preakness, its 1 3/16-mile second jewel, is set for May 15 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. The 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes, the series’ 1 1/2-mile final leg, is scheduled for June 5 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Other late Triple Crown nominees:

• UAE Derby (G2) runner-up Panadol

• Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) third-place finisher Hockey Dad

• Turf Paradise Derby winner It’s My House

• Three-time winner Maythehorsebwithu

• Stakes-placed Tiz Mandate

• European transfer Carrothers

• Two-time winner Back Ring Luck

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), Preakness ($100,000) and Belmont ($50,000).

Here is a complete list of early and late Triple Crown nominees.