Flood Zone draws post 5 in UAE Derby, grand finale on Euro/Mideast Road

Mar 31, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Flood Zone wins the 2025 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photos / Credit to Chelsea Durand)

Gotham (G3) hero Flood Zone ventures further afield – to Dubai – for his final prep. Saturday’s $1 million UAE Derby (G2) at Meydan serves as the concluding leg of the newly rebranded Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby, with two invitations to Churchill Downs up for grabs via this route.

The about 1 3/16-mile test offers points on the 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the top five finishers, far and away the most valuable of the Euro/Mideast series. No one currently on its leaderboard is entered in the UAE Derby, so it all comes down to who performs on Dubai World Cup (G1) night at Meydan.

Flood Zone is the lone U.S. shipper. Privately acquired by Qatari-based Wathnan Racing following his impressive maiden score over Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park, he was transferred to trainer Brad Cox. Flood Zone promptly won for his new connections in the Gotham around Aqueduct’s one-turn mile, arguing the pace and drawing 3 1/4 lengths clear.

Flood Zone Flood Zone at 17-1 wins the 73rd running of the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes and earns 50 points on the Road to the @KentuckyDerby. 🌹

Jockey: Rey Gutierrez
Trainer: @bradcoxracing
Owner: Wathnan Racing pic.twitter.com/7NfdWl0rnr

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 1, 2025

The UAE Derby marks a substantial step up in distance, but Flood Zone’s running style ensures that he will be well placed throughout. Florent Geroux picks up the mount on the Frosted colt, who will break from post 5 in a nine-horse field.

Flood Zone already has 50 points on the main Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard from the Gotham. Depending upon the results of the last U.S. scoring races, that alone could be enough to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, making a Euro/Mideast Road invitation superfluous for him. The Euro/Mideast invitations are reserved for the top two point earners who did not qualify on America’s Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Four Japanese entrants hope to emulate Forever Young, the 2024 UAE Derby star who headlines the $12 million Dubai World Cup later on the card.

Shin Forever, like Forever Young, used the Saudi Derby (G3) as his bridge to Dubai. Unlike Forever Young, Shin Forever lost in Saudi, although he was a commendable runner-up.

Don in the Mood, Admire Daytona, and Dragon all competed on the Japan Road, finishing third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, in the Hyacinth S. behind the exciting Luxor Cafe. But Admire Daytona had come much closer to Japan Road winner Luxor Cafe last November, when forcing him to set a new juvenile track record in a Tokyo maiden.

Four others have been racing during the Dubai Carnival – Heart of Honor, Galactic Star, Rafid, and UAE Oaks (G3) winner Queen Azteca.

Heart of Honor won twice earlier in the Meydan season before placing as the favorite in the first two UAE classics. A rallying second in the UAE 2000 Guineas (G3), he nearly caught longshot Galactic Star in the Al Bastakiya at this distance. The addition of blinkers could help Heart of Honor break better and turn the tables on Galactic Star. The son of Honor A.P. is trained by Jamie Osborne, who sent out 2014 UAE Derby hero Toast of New York.

Rafid was a bit disappointing in the UAE 2000 Guineas and Al Bastakiya, but the Doug Watson runner rebounded at Jebel Ali in his latest. By perennial leading sire Into Mischief, Rafid is out of 2018 UAE Oaks winner Rayya, who was second behind track record-setting Mendelssohn in his UAE Derby.

Queen Azteca has captured her past two for Scandinavian trainer Niels Petersen, including the UAE Oaks worth 50 points toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The daughter of Sharp Azteca will be doing her best work late as she tries to emulate Khawlah (2011), the lone filly to beat the boys in the UAE Derby.

The UAE Derby is the fifth race on the star-studded Dubai World Cup program, scheduled to go off at 11 a.m. ET, and you can watch and wager at TwinSpires.com.