European Road: Patton attracts O’Brien duo of Henry Adams, Navy Seal

Feb 29, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Aidan O’Brien nominated two colts to the 2024 Triple Crown, Henry Adams and Navy Seal, and both are entered in Friday’s Patton Race on the European Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Contested over a mile on the Polytrack at Dundalk, the Patton is worth points on the 20-10-6-4-2 format. Only four signed on, however, with recent course-and-distance winners Nerano and Bergamasco rounding out the quartet.

The two from Ballydoyle have not raced since last fall, when Henry Adams and Navy Seal competed in Group 1 events on turf. Henry Adams was last seen finishing fourth in the Dewhurst (G1) behind champion stablemate City of Troy, while Navy Seal concluded his juvenile season with a fifth in the Criterium International (G1) at Saint-Cloud.

Their prior starts had come on the European Road, and each picked up two points for fourth-place efforts – Henry Adams in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1), and Navy Seal in the Beresford (G2). Thus the Patton will likely clarify Ballydoyle’s pecking order for a potential switch to dirt.

Henry Adams appears to hold that spot now, since Coolmore’s top jockey Ryan Moore is aboard. But Navy Seal is no slouch himself with Wayne Lordan in the saddle, and the distance arguably helps him as a son of Dubawi and 2018 Belmont Oaks (G1) queen Athena. Henry Adams has yet to race past seven furlongs.

O’Brien has used the Patton as a springboard to the UAE Derby (G2) on Dubai World Cup night, most famously with Mendelssohn, who scorched to a track-record romp at Meydan. Henry Adams comes from the same sire line; his sire, No Nay Never, is by Scat Daddy – the sire of Mendelssohn and Triple Crown champion Justify. He also sports a stakes win, in last summer’s Tyros (G3) at Leopardstown.

Henry Adams remains unbeaten as the No Nay Never colt hangs on to land the Group 3 Tyros Stakes at @LeopardstownRC and completes a quickfire treble for the formidable Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien partnership 🏆 pic.twitter.com/K4d8Twf9z9

— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) July 27, 2023

Aidan’s son Joseph O’Brien, who has won the Patton twice in the past four years, counters with Nerano. The well-bred son of War Front just broke his maiden here Feb. 2 by five lengths.

The Jack Davison-trained Bergamasco is the most exposed in the line-up with eight starts under his belt. Both of his wins have come at this track and tip, including a Jan. 26 handicap under top weight of 138 pounds. Now he, and Nerano, get a three-pound weight concession from Henry Adams and Navy Seal, a reflection of their respective class levels.

The Patton is the sixth race with a post time of 2:15 p.m. (ET) Friday, and you can watch and wager at TwinSpires.com.