Early 9f winners

[RolloTomasi]

Putting a "in the last 35 years" contingency renders your question almost entirely irrelevant as until now the only significant stakes for 3yos at 9f before the final round of preps in that time frame has been the Remsen and the hapless Jeff Ruby Steaks.

Furthermore, by restricting the query to Kentucky Derby winners only, you leave out all sorts of other Classic winners.

Be assured, when the Flamingo, Everglades, Florida Derby, Jim Beam, Hollywood Derby were run at 9f (or more) back when horses actually ran every 2 weeks there were plenty of Triple Crown race winners to come out of those races.

Lil E Tee and Animal Kingdom won the Jim Beam prior to their Derby victories.

In the time frame you set, Summer Squall, Hansel, Lil E Tee, Prairie Bayou, Snow Chief, Unbridled, Thunder Gulch, Monarchos, Empire Maker, Barbaro, Big Brown, Animal Kingdom, Go For Gin, Pine Bluff, Shackleford, Always Dreaming, Da' Tara, Drosselmeyer, Tonalist, and Orb were all early 9f winners that subsequently won Triple Crown races.