BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Wathnan Racing’s Flood Zone has been named as the 7-2 morning line favorite as he leads trio of Florida-breds into Saturday’s competitive lineup of nine 3-year-old in the $100,000 Petramalo Mile at Colonial Downs. Florida-bred Roar of the Beast is the second choice in the program at 4-1 for Lawson Racing Stables and Randy Jill Gootzeit’s Florida-bred Start Mo Up is 30-1 on the morning line.

Flood Zone, Roar of the Beast and Start Mo Up are among eight Florida-breds entered in four stakes at Colonial Downs Saturday. G W’s Gal, Decadent and Fede are set for the $100,000 Tyson Gilpin, Cart Girl Sam is in the $150,000 Andy Guest and Chick’s Shadow goes in the $500,000 Beverly D.

Flood Zone appeared to be on the road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) earlier this year when he took the one-mile Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct by three-and-a-quarter lengths in early March. That opportunity got side-tracked however when he finished seventh in his next race in the $1 million UAE Derby (G2) won by Admire Daytona (Jpn) at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on April 5.

 

Trainer Brad Cox then gave him a three-month break before returning in the $239,000 Maxfield at Churchill on June 29, but Flood Zone finished seventh of 11 after lagging far back early in the seven-furlong test. 

Flood Zone has won two of five career starts with one second while banking $215,800. He is a three-time graduate of Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company, most recently selling for $45,000 to VEB Racing Stable out of the Paul Sharp consignment at last year’s June Sale.

He is by Frosted out of Curls for Girls, by Curlin and was bred in Florida by Al Figliolia Westburystables LLC.

Reylu Gutierrez will ride Flood Zone from post four.

Roar of the Beast has won two of his last three and looks for his first stakes victory in the Petramalo.

Making his fourth career start and first of 2025, Roar of the Beast won by 10 lengths against $50,000 maiden claimers going a mile at Gulfstram on Feb. 23. He then stumbled at the start of a first level allowance race for Florida-breds on April 24, finishing fifth behind winner Joey Muscles, but bounced back to take in his last race by 13 ¼ lengths on June 26. Roar of the Beast broke well and led at every point of call against first level, $75,000 optional claimers going a mile at Gulfstream, improving his career record to two wins with a second in six starts.

 

By The Big Beast out of Sound Defence, First Defence, Roar of the Beast was bred in Florida by Peter A. Lawson and has earned $69,330.

Tyler Gaffalione will ride Roar of the Beast for the first time Saturday and they will depart from post six.

Start Mo Up shortens up to seven furlongs after going a mile-and-an-eighth at Colonial last out in a first condition, $75,000 optional claiming won by Petramalo Mile-rival Lured Away with La Hooligan second, another Petramalo Mile entrant.

The Joe Lejzerowicz-trained gelding broke his maiden going a mile-and-a-sixteenth two starts back on June 15 at Churchill Downs while facing older special weight maidens.

Start Mo Up has won one of six career starts with a third with earnings of $54,430. He is by Mo Town out of Jaggermama, by High Cotton and was bred in Florida by Don Ming. Lejzerowicz bought Start Mo Up for $36,000 out of last year’s OBS March Sale where he was consigned by Dynasty Thoroughbreds.

Ben Curtis will ride Start Mo Up from post one.

Others entered are La Houligan and jockey Junior Alvarado, Optical will have Alex Concepcion up, Brian Hernandez Jr. rides Lured Away, Light Forever will carry Andy Herndandez, Forest Boyce takes the call on Barbadian Runner and Rolando with John Velazquez in the irons.

Return to the August 7 issue of Wire to Wire