O'Briens well represented in Patton Stakes

Crossfirehurricane, an undefeated Kentucky-bred colt by Kitten’s Joy, may start favored in Friday’s $82,500 Patton Stakes at a mile on the synthetic track at Dundalk Racecourse in Ireland, the first race of the year in the European qualifying series for the Kentucky Derby.

Crossfirehurricane won a seven-furlong allowance race at Dundalk on Feb. 7 in his first start since a maiden race win in his debut at Limerick, Ireland, last June. Crossfirehurricane, owned by co-breeder Scott Heider, is trained by Joseph O’Brien, whose biggest threat in the Patton Stakes are runners trained by his father, Aidan.

The Patton Stakes drew a field of 10. Aidan O’Brien starts Battle of Liege, King of Athens, and New World Tapestry, all War Front colts who have not raced since a three-day period last fall in Britain.

King of Athens won a maiden race on the synthetic track at Lingfield Racecourse on Oct. 31, a day before New World Tapestry was eighth of 11 in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at a mile on the synthetic track at Newcastle. Battle of Liege won an allowance race on the synthetic track at Chelmsford City one day later.

Thursday afternoon, Crossfirehurricane was 11-4 with European bookmakers, a slight choice over King of Athens at 10-3. Battle of Liege and New World Tapestry were 7-1.

Joseph O’Brien also starts 5-1 Choice of Mine, the winner of a one-mile race at Dundalk on Dec. 18.

The most highly-regarded contender not trained by a member of the O’Brien family is In the Present, a Kentucky-bred filly who won a seven-furlong race for maidens at Dundalk in her seventh start in December. She was 7-1 as of Thursday.

The first four finishers of the Patton Stakes will earn 20-8-4-2 qualifying points for the single Kentucky Derby berth available to the European-based runner with the highest total after the seven-race series.

After four races last year, Kameko, trained by Andrew Balding, and Innisfree, trained by Aidan O’Brien, shared first-place with 14 points.

After Friday, the next race in the European series are the Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes at a mile on the synthetic track at Kempton Park, southwest of London, on Wednesday, which is worth 20-8-4-2 to the first four finishers.

The final race is the Cardinal Condition Stakes at a mile on the synthetic track at Chelmsford City, northeast of London, on April 2, which is worth 30-12-6-3 to the first four finishers.