BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Wathan Racing’s Flood Zone, the Florida-bred winner of last year’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, won the ninth race at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday, a second condition, $32,000 optional claiming going seven furlongs. Nine 4-year-olds and older went postward for a purse of $56,500, of which $23,000 was funded by the Florida Owners Awards program and the new Tampa Bay Downs/HBPA/Florida Fund, backed by $1.5 million in state support.

With Samy Camacho aboard for trainer Brad Cox, the 4-year-old son of Frosted sat three lengths off leader Gianluca Be Lucky through a :44.75 half mile before going on the attack around the turn. Camacho took him five wide turning for home then jetted to the front to win by three-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:23.31 on the track rated good. Raging Fury was second, a half-length faster than Air Invasion in the show spot.

Flood Zone paid $4.20 to win.

Following the Gotham victory, Flood Zone shipped to Dubai for the $1 million UAE Derby on April 5 at Meydan Racecourse but finished seventh behind winner Admire Daytona (Jpn). He returned to the United States to make his next start in June, but was seventh again in the seven-furlong, $239,000 Maxfield (Listed) at Churchill Downs. In one start since, he was fifth in the $103,000 Petramalo Mile won by Rolando at Colonial Downs on August 9.

Flood Zone improved his record to three wins in seven starts with a second and earnings of $254,665.

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

A three-time graduate of Ocala Breeders’ Sales, he did not meet his reserve in his first two appearances, first as yearling in January of 2023 in the Winter Mixed Sale then in 2024 in the March Sale of 2-year-olds. Consignor Paul Sharp sold him for $45,000 to VEB Racing Stable at the 2024 OBS June Sale of 2-year-olds.

Return to the February 28 issue of Wire to Wire