The "Euro" part of the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby winds up March 7 at Dundalk in Ireland with a bit more whimper than bang.
Only five 3-year-olds were declared for the Patton, a one-mile test under the lights and over Polytrack, and only one of them was an original nominee to the United States Triple Crown. Two are fillies and another makes his first start.
Because of the way Churchill Downs rejiggered the international run-ups to the 151st Kentucky Derby (G1), none of the Patton runners can earn enough points to win the series, which concludes this year with the UAE Derby (G2) April 5 in Dubai. The Patton will distribute points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale, while the UAE Derby awards 100 points to the winner, and 50-25-15-10, respectively to the second through fifth-place finishers.
The closest the Patton field can boast to a marquee name is Mount Kilimanjaro. The Siyouni colt, trained by Aidan O'Brien for the Coolmore "lads," makes his first start of 2005 after going 1-for-4 as a 2-year-old with all the starts on the turf.
Ryan Moore is named to ride Mount Kilimanjaro, indicating Coolmore is serious about the colt. He is nominated to the Triple Crown but the race nonetheless has the feel of a test for European turf heats later in the year rather than anything on dirt, either in Dubai or Louisville, Ky.
O'Brien's son, Joseph Patrick O'Brien, sends out Glinka. The Australia colt has started twice, finishing sixth Dec. 6 and 12th Jan. 29, both on the Dundalk all-weather.
Titanium Emperor, by Night of Thunder, faces the starter for the first time. The fillies are Powerful Lady, a winner for the first time in her seventh start, also at Dundalk, and Spicy Margarita, also a last-race winner at Dundalk.
Dundalk, located north of Dublin in County Louth just south of the border with Northern Island, is Ireland's only all-weather course and also conducts greyhound racing.
