Roy H goes easily in work for Dubai Golden Shaheen

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – It’s a good thing when a very fast horse will work slowly, and champion sprinter Roy H is willing to do so – as long as the right pilot is at the controls.

Under Kent Desormeaux, Roy H tuned up Tuesday for his start Saturday in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen by working roughly three furlongs in about 37 seconds on the stopwatch of trainer Peter Miller.

“If you give him the intention he’ll work fast, but as a general rule, Kent’s got him,” Miller said. “Kent can just kind of whoa him the whole way. He’s got magic hands. The horse here, not being at home, he’s a little less aggressive. He’s very deceiving. It looked like a two-minute clip today.”

Roy H has shipped well from California, according to Miller, who arrived here late Monday. The 2017 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner and Golden Shaheen favorite, Roy H is relaxed and comfortable, and he will be formidable Saturday night with anything close to his best.

Miller has shipped four horses here, with Conquest Tsunami, Richard’s Boy, and Stormy Liberal all bound for the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint over a straight-course 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) on turf. Richard’s Boy and Conquest Tsunami worked just after 5 Tuesday morning, though not without a minor incident: Jockeys Desormeaux (Richard’s Boy) and Victor Espinoza (Conquest Tsunami) initially went onto the turf course thinking they were breezing on grass before Miller politely redirected them onto the main track.

“All of them today, this was just kind of to open up their lungs, stretch their legs, let them get a little blow," Miller said. "That’s all we did."

From here to Saturday, it will be light training for Miller’s quartet.

Richard’s Boy was fourth in the 2017 Al Quoz, and Miller rates Conquest Tsunami his best chance in the race this year. “I’m pleased with all of them, but my two best chances are Conquest and Roy,” Miller said.