BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Flood Zone, winner of the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct for Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s Wathnan Racing, has been rated at 108, tops among nine 3-year-olds entered for Saturday’s US$1 million UAE Derby (G2) at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

Formerly on the primary road to the Kentucky Derby, the 1,900-meter (about a mile-and-three-sixteenths) UAE Derby awards qualification points on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis to the top five finishers as part of the Europe-Middle East-Europe series.

Flood Zone currently ranks 12th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 50 points.

Trainer Brad Cox sent Flood Zone to the Dubai from his barn at Payson Park Training Center in Florida where the bay colt recently breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80 on March 21, the fastest of 11 works at the distance that morning.

Flood Zone was a surprise in the one turn-mile Gotham, winning by three-and-a-quarter lengths at odds of 17-1 on March 1. Under jockey Reylu Gutierrez, he flashed early speed before challenged by longshot Normandy Coast and 7-5 favorite Sand Devil on his inside down the backstretch.  Around the turn, Flood Zone went three-wide with Sand Devil taking a narrow lead before those two turned for home heads apart and fought down the the stretch. Flood Zone then drew clear in the final furlong to win with authority.

 

It was his second win in three starts after winning a six-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park by five-and-a-quarter lengths in his second start on Jan. 4.

 

Flood Zone is by Frosted out of the Curlin mare Curls for Girls and was bred in Florida by Al Figliolia Westburystables LLC. Purchased by VEB Racing Stables for $45,000 out of the Paul Sharp consignment at the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales June Sale of 2-year-olds in training, Flood Zone has earned $203,800.
(Flood Zone’s Under Tack Video)

Cox has given the riding assignment to Florent Geroux in Dubai and they will break from post five as number four in the program.

Also set for the UAE Derby is Shin Forever, a son of Complexity who is based in Japan with trainer Hideyuki Mori. Most recently second to Golden Vekoma in the Group 3 Saudi Derby presented by Zood Reality at King Abulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Feb. 22, Shin Forever was also second in the Begonia Cup at Toyko Racecourse in November and fifth in the Junior Cup at Nakayama on Jan. 5. With one win in seven starts with two seconds, Shin Forever has earned $416,778 for owner Susumu Fjuita.

Shin Forever will be ridden by Akira Sugawara and is a graduate of last year’s OBS March Sale where Mori bought him for $300,000 out of Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables consignment.
(Shin Forever’s Under Tack Video / Walking Video)

Shin Forever has a 107 rating and will break from post seven.

Queen Azteca, a daughter of Sharp Azteca, is the only filly in the race and enters off two victories at Meydan Racecourse for trainer Niels Peterson.

Ridden to victory by Carlos Lopez in both races, Queen Azteca won the UAE Oaks (G3) by three-quarters of a length going 1,900 meters on Feb. 21 and a conditions race by more than eight lengths at 1,600 meters on Jan. 17. 

Queen Azteca has won half of her six starts with one second while earning $215,836 for owner Glaesner Racing Aps.

Lopez gets the return mount and they have the outside post nine.

Rounding out the field are Admire Daytona (Jpn) and jockey Christophe Lemaire, Ryusei Sakai rides Don in the Wood (Jpn), Dragon (Jpn) will have Yutaka Take aboard, Galactic Star has Tadjg O’Shea taking the assignment, Heart of Honor (GB) will be ridden by Saffie Osborne and John Velazaquez will be in the saddle for Rafid.

Return to the April 3 issue of Wire to Wire