By Dick Downey

With a tough beat in the Grade III El Camino Real Derby in the books, trainer Graham Motion was philosophical in defeat.

“The horse is so tiny, I think if he was a little bigger, he would have won that race,” Motion said. “He’s never going to win a photo-finish, that horse. He’s a very honest horse, though.”

Going into the El Camino Real, Lucky Chappy seemed to have been pointing to the Group 2 U.A.E. Derby, but Motion said he and Team Valor International’s Barry Irwin will weigh several factors before making a decision.

“That’s been our plan. We’re going to try to figure out what caliber of 3-year-olds they have over there. It’s a long way to go, and there are so many options here, but it’s something we’re talking about,” Motion said. “The distance would be good for him. It’s a mile-and-three-sixteenths.”

On the long trip, Lucky Chappy would accompany Animal Kingdom, last year's Kentucky Derby winner that was victorious in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race on the turf at Gulfstream Park yesterday. Animal Kingdom's being aimed at the Group 1 Dubai World Cup.