Triple Crown nominees Cairo, Stormy Entry square off in Ireland

With four road to the Kentucky Derby 2023 prep races taking place across the U.S. this week, it could be easy to overlook Friday’s Patton Stakes at Dundalk in Ireland. But that would be a mistake, because the first European road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier of the year is shaping up as a potentially pivotal race.

The Patton already has proven its worth as a Kentucky Derby steppingstone. In 2018, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn won the Patton to kick off a sophomore season highlighted by a blowout victory in the UAE Derby (G2) and a start in the Kentucky Derby.

Mendelssohn hailed from the powerful stable of Aidan O’Brien, who has won four of the 10 editions of the Patton. And from all appearances, O’Brien is poised to pick up a fifth win courtesy of Cairo, who looms as the horse to beat Friday.

The Patton awards European road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis to the top five finishers, and Cairo’s participation might be a result of those points. He’s a son of four-time Grade 1 winner and successful U.S. sire Quality Road. That might explain why O’Brien nominated Cairo to the Triple Crown. Many of O’Brien’s runners are bred for turf, but Cairo’s pedigree offers potential for dirt prowess.

Of course the Patton takes place over one mile on a Polytrack surface, but that shouldn’t bother Cairo. He already has experience over this track, running second in the seven-furlong Star Appeal last year.

Cairo used that Dundalk effort as a springboard to a 2 3/4-length romp in the Killavullan (G3) on turf at Leopardstown. The bay colt was mentioned as a possible starter for last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, but he wound up skipping the race, ending his season with a record of 4: 2-2-0.

Cairo is clearly the most accomplished horse in the Patton field and should be tough to beat if he brings his A game under internationally successful jockey Ryan Moore, who teamed up with Mendelssohn to win this race five years ago. But if you think Cairo might be rusty in his sophomore debut, don’t dismiss the chances of Stormy Entry, the field’s other Triple Crown nominee.

It seems safe to call Stormy Entry a “horse for the course” specialist. All three of his starts have come at Dundalk, and he hasn’t missed the exacta. Stormy Entry debuted with a runner-up finish in a six-furlong, maiden sprint, after which he stretched out over seven furlongs and won by a half-length against a field containing a two-time winner. Most recently, Stormy Entry tackled a one-mile contest and gamely battled down the homestretch to prevail by a short head.

That Stormy Entry is proven over the track and distance of the Patton is appealing as is the fact he’ll be ridden by Seamie Heffernan, a two-time winner of the race. Stormy Entry hasn’t accomplished as much as Cairo, but the Willie Browne trainee is progressing in the right direction and could be Kentucky Derby-bound for owner Charles Fipke, whose three past Derby starters include 2013 runner-up Golden Soul.

The remaining Patton entrants aren’t nominated to the Triple Crown, but they’re a decent group nevertheless. Cash Out and News At Ten enter off maiden victories racing one mile at Dundalk. Tiverton competed against Cairo in the Killavullan last fall, finishing eighth. And we can’t overlook the fillies Miss Caruso, a Dundalk maiden winner; All Things Nice, a two-time turf winner; and Ti Amo Sempre, an 0-for-4 maiden. They seek to join Juncture in 2022 and My Generation in 2021 on the list of female Patton winners.

The Patton is the sixth event on an eight-race Friday card at Dundalk. Post time is 2:30 p.m. EST, so be sure to tune in and start your week of Kentucky Derby qualifiers a day early. You might see a future Kentucky Derby starter in action.