Frank Conversation may go to Dubai for UAE Derby
ARCADIA, Calif. - Frank Conversation may be headed to Dubai after his win in Saturday’s $200,800 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields.
Sunday, trainer Doug O’Neill said Frank Conversation will be considered for the $2 million United Arab Emirates Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 26. The UAE Derby is on the undercard of the $10 million Dubai World Cup.
“They’ve invited us and it is $2 million,” O’Neill said.
The $500,000 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on April 2 is another possible race for Frank Conversation, O’Neill said.
Frank Conversation is unbeaten in two starts this year, beginning with the California Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Jan. 16. Golden Gate Fields and Turfway Park have synthetic tracks. Meydan runs the UAE Derby on a dirt track.
Owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, Frank Conversation has won 3 of 6 starts and earned $230,450.
“We’re in a good situation right now,” O’Neill said. “If he stays injury-free, he will be in a Derby prep in his next start.”
An American-based horse has not won the UAE Derby since the race was launched in 2000. In 2001, Express Tour won the race for Dubai-based trainer Saeed bin Suroor. Express Tour was a two-time stakes winner in stakes for Florida-breds for trainer Marty Wolfson at Calder in 2000 before joining Suroor’s stable. In 2002, Essence of Dubai won the UAE Derby for Suroor. The previous year, Essence of Dubai won the Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita when trained by Eoin Harty.
There have been American-based runners in recent years. Harty finished ninth in the 2015 UAE Derby with the longshot My Johnny Be Good. In 2013, O’Neill finished 11th in the UAE Derby with the Reddam-owned He’s Had Enough.