Timber Country and Afternoon Deelites, rated the best pair of 2-year-old colts in the nation last year, head a list of 317 horses nominated to the 1995 Triple Crown.
The roster of horses, which represents a 10 percent drop from the 354 thoroughbreds that were nominated in 1994, was released in Louisville, Ky., today by Triple Crown Productions, Inc.
For the first time, Japanese-raced 3-year-olds were nominated to the series as well as 10 horses based in Europe.
"The drop in numbers is a direct reflection of the decline in recent foal crops in North America," said Ed Seigenfeld, executive director of the three-race series. "Even so, we certainly don't lack for quality among the horses and enthusiasm from the owners and trainers."
D. Wayne Lukas, who trains Timber Country and won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes last year with Tabasco Cat, nominated nine 3-year-olds to the Triple Crown; Bill Mott, runner-up to Lukas in the 1994 national trainer standings, also nominated nine.
Among the 317 horses are six fillies, including Maryland-bred Urbane, ranked third among the nation's juvenile fillies last year behind champion Flanders and Serena's Song. Flanders is now retired, but Lukas, who trains Serena's Song, nominated that filly.
Also among the half-dozen fillies is Laurel-based Palliser Bay, who is scheduled to make her added-money debut today in the Landaura Stakes at Laurel Park for Eddie and Binnie Houghton's Buckingham Farm. The filly is trained by Ron Cartwright.
Three Maryland trainers -- Billy Boniface, Bud Delp and Billy Turner -- who have won Triple Crown races nominated a total of six horses. Boniface is represented by Oliver's Twist, Ops Smile and Lawyer Referral; Delp by Western Echo and Spanish Halo; and Turner by Shimmering Prince.
Other Maryland trainers such as Carlos Gracia, Dean Gaudet, Frannie Campitelli and Gene Weymouth, who is headquartered at the Fair Hill Training Center, also have Triple Crown nominees in their barns.
The Triple Crown begins May 6 with the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs and is followed by the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course on May 20 and the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 10.
There have been 11 Triple Crown winners but none since 1978 when Affirmed became the last to sweep the three-race series.
Owners and trainers who missed making the initial Jan. 21 deadline at a cost of $600 per horse can still nominate their animals, but the fee escalates. The second deadline is April 1 at a cost of $6,000.
Triple Crown Productions had talked about re-instituting a $1 million bonus for horses that competed in all three races, but has decided not to pursue it this year. However, a horse that wins all three races earns a $5 million bonus sponsored by the Chrysler Corp.