Dice Flavor, El Camino Real winner, headed to Dubai

ARCADIA, Calif. – Dice Flavor, upset winner of the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby on the synthetic surface at Golden Gate Fields, will make his next start in Dubai on March 30.

After working the colt six furlongs Sunday at Betfair Hollywood Park, trainer Paddy Gallagher said Dice Flavor would start next in $2 million UAE Derby at Meydan. Like the surface at Golden Gate, the synthetic surface at Meydan is Tapeta.

The purse of the UAE Derby is 10 times higher than the $200,000 El Camino Real that was contested Feb. 16 at Golden Gate. Dice Flavor won that 1 1/8-mile race by 3 3/4 lengths with an 88 Beyer Speed Figure.

Jose Valdivia has ridden Dice Flavor all five starts. A son of Scat Daddy, Dice Flavor has 2 wins and 2 thirds, and earned $160,500.

Gallagher considered the Grade 3, $550,000 Spiral Stakes on March 23 at Turfway Park for Dice Flavor’s next start. He said the higher purse and longer distance of the UAE Derby were contributing factors for the Dubai race. The Spiral is 1 1/8 miles, while the UAE Derby is 1 3/16 miles.

Dice Flavor joins Doug O’Neill-trained He’s Had Enough as California-based 3-year-olds expected to ship to Dubai.