Kentucky Derby prep: 1st-time starter wins on Europe trail

Titanium Emperor made his debut a winning one Friday night in Ireland, dueling heavily favored Mount Kilimanjaro for the early lead before drawing away in the homestretch to win the US$41,500 Patton, a one-mile points race on the Europe and Middle East road to Kentucky Derby 2025.

For the five finishers, the race was worth 20-10-6-4-2 points toward qualifying for the one Euro-Mideast berth May 3 at Churchill Downs. Mount Kilimanjaro, who finished third, was the only one who was nominated to the Triple Crown. None of the points-getters from earlier races on this path was an early nominee for the U.S. classics.

The race will be superseded by next month’s Grade 2 UAE Derby, which was moved this year to the Euro-Mideast trail. Worth 100-50-25-15-10 points, the Dubai race is most likely to produce the one horse who will use the invitation to Kentucky.

Sent off as the second U.S. choice in the field of five 3-year-olds, Titanium Emperor (9-2) was taken by jockey David Egan on an early, ground-saving run over the synthetic track at Dundalk. He was flanked around the one left turn by Mount Kilimanjaro (1-9), who carried Ryan Moore as part of his top-weight impost of 137 pounds.

Turning for home, the field angled toward the middle of the course, and Titanium Emperor dug in with his 131 pounds. His Adrian Murray-trained stablemate Spicy Margarita (9-1), a filly carrying 129 pounds, accelerated late with jockey Wayne Lordan. Titanium Emperor drew in the last 50 yards and won by three lengths.

Spicy Margarita finished second, a half-length ahead of third-place Mount Kilimanjaro, who is owned by Coolmore and trained by Aidan O’Brien. Powerful Lady (19-1), another filly carrying 129 pounds, was another half-length behind in fourth. Glinka (61-1), a colt who was assigned 131 pounds, trailed the whole way and finished last, nine lengths behind Titanium Emperor.

The winning time was 1:38.23 without a run-up.

Titanium Emperor paid $11.00 and $4.00. Spicy Margarita returned $10.00. There was no equivalent of U.S. show betting.

Kia Joorabchian’s AMO Racing owns both Titanium Emperor and Spicy Margarita, who has Giselle de Aguiar as a co-owner. The winner was bred in Ireland by Sunderland Holding. He is a bay colt by Night of Thunder out of Sea the Stars mare My Titania and was bought as a yearling for about $300,000.