By Steve Sherack
Purchased privately by Wathnan Racing and transferred to Brad Cox following a sharp maiden win at second asking at Gulfstream Park Jan. 4, Flood Zone (Frosted) posted a 17-1 upset for his new connections in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. going a one-turn mile at the Big A.
Sent to the front by Reylu Gutierrez, the blinkered bay was content to slot back into a three-wide and pressing third through an opening quarter in :23.86. He hooked up with unbeaten New York-bred and favored 'TDN Rising Star' Sand Devil (Violence) on the far turn, and powered past that one in the stretch to win going away by 3 1/4 lengths, good for 50 points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby.
Flood Zone earned an 85 Beyer Speed Figure in his aforementioned 5 1/4-length maiden win versus fellow Florida-breds going 6 1/2 furlongs. He was previously campaigned in partnership by Big Frank Stable, Enrico Ascione, Guy Mancini and Veb Racing Stable Corp, and trained by Victor Barboza, Jr.
“How fun was that? He always looked like a horse that could go a bit longer with his second race at six and a half furlongs, and the Gotham was the next logical step at a mile,” said Case Clay, U.S. Advisor for Wathnan Racing.
“The way he won that second race with that turn of foot on the dirt, we just had a lot of confidence in him. We were optimistic, but you never know with these 3-year-olds in these Derby preps how it's going to go. Reylu [Gutierrez] has always been confident in the horse, too, and wanted to ride him, and we were happy to have him ride him in this race. It's exciting and it doesn't always work out this way. For the team at Wathnan Racing, it feels good for all of us.”
As for what's next, Clay added, “We'll get with Brad and see how he comes out of the race and make a decision from there.”
Pedigree Notes:
Flood Zone, a $45,000 OBS June graduate (:21 3/5), becomes the 13th graded/34th stakes winner worldwide for Frosted. Flood Zone's winning dam Curls for Girls is a half-sister to GSW Sue's Good (Woodman), dam of GI Ogden Phipps H. heroine Tiz Miz Sue (Tiznow) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Bulletin (City Zip); and MSW & MGSP Easyfromthegitgo (Dehere). Curls for Girls, a $150,000 purchase by Westbury Stables at the 2017 KEENOV Sale, is also represented by a 2-year-old colt by Maclean's Music ($110,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Al Pike, agent) and a yearling colt by Mo Donegal. She was bred to Arabian Lion for 2025.
FLOOD ZONE who makes his first start for @bradcoxracing with Reylu on the mount breaks up top and battles with Sand Devil down the stretch before getting the win while earning 50 points for the Kentucky Derby. #HorseRacingTips #HorseRacing pic.twitter.com/zDwI2eGxan
— Matthew DeSantis (@failedtomenace) March 1, 2025
Saturday, Aqueduct
GOTHAM S.-GIII, $300,000, Aqueduct, 3-1, 3yo, 1m, 1:39.62, ft.
1–FLOOD ZONE, 118, c, 3, by Frosted
1st Dam: Curls for Girls, by Curlin
2nd Dam: Montera, by Easy Goer
3rd Dam: Mochila, by In Reality
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($24,000
RNA Ylg '23 OBSWIN; $72,000 RNA 2yo '24 OBSMAR; $45,000
2yo '24 OBSOPN). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Al Figliolia
Westburystables,LLC (FL); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Reylu Gutierrez.
$165,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $203,800. Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Sand Devil, 118, c, 3, Violence–Mineralogist, by Mineshaft.
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
O-Chester Broman, Sr.; B-Chester & Mary R. Broman (NY);
T-Linda Rice. $60,000.
3–Garamond, 118, c, 3, Uncle Mo–Blue Watch, by Tapit.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Juddmonte
(KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $36,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, 1 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 17.80, 1.45, 5.40.
Also Ran: My Mitole, McAfee, Pagode, Calling Card, Sacrosanct, Normandy Coast. Scratched: Scorching.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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