Europe's Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes postponed

The "Beast from the East" snowstorm bringing chaos to Europe wiped out both of this week's scheduled 2018 Kentucky Derby preps, with Kempton Park's Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes the latest victim.

The British Horseracing Authority announced the race, originally set for Thursday, will now run on Wednesday of next week.

Ireland's Patton Stakes, run at Dundalk, will run Friday, March 9, a week later than anticipated also due to snow on its Polytrack.

A big-name horse was to go in both races before weather intervened.

Gronkowski, named for the New England Patriots' tight end, was favored in the Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes. He's campaigned by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, the same group that owns Smarty Jones Stakes winner Mourinho and Dream Tree, an unbeaten filly on the Kentucky Oaks trail.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn originally targeted the Patton and then rerouted to Saturday's 32Red Spring Cup Stakes, which is not part of the European Road to the Derby. But he did not appear in final entries Thursday, likely due to weather.

Both Kempton and Dundalk's stops on the trail are worth 20 qualifying points to the winner, with the European finale the March 30 Burradon at Lingfield that pays up to 30.

Mendelssohn is also nominated to the March 31 UAE Derby, a race trainer Aidan O'Brien has used as a final prep before heading to Churchill Downs in the past. Gronkowski was said to be bound for the U.S. after his start this week; we'll see if he stays or ventures to the States for a domestic Derby trail start.