Flood Zone, who will start favored in Saturday’s Group 2 United Arab Emirates Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, has been a colt on the go this year.
After winning his second start in a maiden race for Florida-breds by 5 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 5, Flood Zone was purchased privately by Wathnan Racing of Qatar and transferred to Brad Cox. In the first start for his new connections, Flood Zone recorded a 17-1 upset in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at a mile at Aqueduct on March 1. Flood Zone disputed the early pace before pulling clear by 3 1/4 lengths.
The win would have left Flood Zone as a well-regarded candidate for a major domestic Kentucky Derby prep. Instead, Flood Zone was flown more than 7,800 miles to Dubai for the $1 million U.A.E. Derby.
Flood Zone, who has been based in Florida this year, may still start in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3. He earned 50 qualifying points with the win in the Gotham, currently enough to secure a position in the 20-horse field.
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The first five finishers of the U.A.E. Derby at 1 3/16 miles receive qualifying points in the European/Middle East series of prep races for the Kentucky Derby on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale. The race is the finale of the series, with invitations available to the two runners with the most points.
Flood Zone was the 9-4 favorite with British bookmakers on Wednesday in the U.A.E. Derby, which drew a field of nine. Four of the runners are from Japan.
Last year, Japan’s Forever Young won the U.A.E. Derby before finishing third in both the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar. Forever Young, this year’s Saudi Cup winner, will be an odds-on favorite to win Saturday’s $12 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan.
The Japanese contingent for Saturday’s U.A.E. Derby is led by Shin Forever, who was second in the Saudi Derby in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 22 in his first start outside of Japan.
The other Japanese shippers are Don in the Mood, Admire Dayton, and Dragon, who were third through fifth behind Luxor Cafe in the Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 23. Luxor Cafe won the Fukuryu Stakes in Japan last weekend to secure a position in the Kentucky Derby.
Flood Zone, Dragon, and Shin Forever were nominated to the American Triple Crown earlier this year. There is a second nomination deadline on Monday.
Taking on Tuz
Aside from Flood Zone, American-based runners may be favored in two other dirt races at Meydan on Saturday.
Straight No Chaser, the 2024 Eclipse champion sprinter, leads a field of 12 in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen, a $2 million race at six furlongs. Trained in California by Dan Blacker, Straight No Chaser has won his last three starts, including the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar last November and the Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 22.
Straight No Chaser was shipped to Dubai after the win in Saudi Arabia. The 6-year-old has handled the journeys through the Middle East without difficulty, according to Blacker.
“I’ve been really impressed by his resilience and how he handles the travel and a new layout and a new surface,” Blacker said in an interview at Santa Anita in late March. “It’s a pleasant surprise when you have a horse that takes everything in stride.”
In the Golden Shaheen, Straight No Chaser must beat Tuz, the local star who won the 2024 Golden Shaheen and is unbeaten four starts in stakes at six furlongs by a combined 18 3/4 lengths at Meydan since early December.
Nakatomi and Remake, sixth and last of 11 in the BC Sprint last November, also start in the Golden Shaheen. The winner of the Golden Shaheen receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Sprint.
The Group 2 Godolphin Mile, a $1 million race on dirt, has been a months-long goal for Raging Torrent, who won the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 for trainer Doug O’Neill.
Raging Torrent is part of a field of 14. The $1 million Godolphin Mile is run around one turn, which should suit Raging Torrent, who has won three seven-furlong stakes since last June. His only loss in that span was a seventh-place finish in the BC Sprint.
Frankie Dettori, who rode Raging Torrent for the first time in the Malibu, has the mount in the Godolphin Mile.
In the Godolphin Mile, the American multiple stakes winner Mufasa will have his first start for Dubai-based trainer Bhupat Seemar. Mufasa was 11th of 13 in the BC Dirt Mile last November, but rebounded to win the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Stakes at seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 28 in his last race for trainer Ignacio Correas.
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