Flood Zone draws off in Gotham upset; Drexel Hill nabs Busher

A restricted maiden winner at Gulfstream Park, Flood Zone stepped up to defeat Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls in Saturday's $300,000 Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct, surging clear in the stretch at 17-1. The frontrunning colt picked up 50 qualifying points toward a Kentucky Derby berth in his stakes debut.

He was purchased privately by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s Wathnan Racing and transferred to him Brad Cox after romping by more than five lengths in his second career start in early January, defeating Florida-bred maiden rivals over 6 1/2 furlongs. Reylu Gutierrez, who was up for the first two starts, retained the assignment in the Gotham, and Flood Zone contested the pace while wide from the start.

After dueling with multiple rivals through splits in :23.86, :47.97, and 1:13.69, Flood Zone took a short lead while straightening for home. Sand Devil, the 7-5 favorite, tried to battle back along the inside, but Flood Zone had gained the upper hand by midstretch and began to draw off, scoring by 3 1/4 lengths. The bay son of Frosted finished the one-turn mile in 1:39.62.

"It was a great effort,” Cox assistant trainer Dustin Dugas said. “Reylu know more about the horse than I did - he was a recent purchase and Reylu had ridden him the first two times as well. He said he was full of horse today and really happy with him. He broke very sharp, and he said as soon as he crossed the chute, he was full of horse and in command from there on. The horse came in from Payson and had three gallops here at Belmont. He seems like a solid colt.”

"He broke really sharp and on the bridle," Gutierrez added. "Once we passed the chute, he was in control and in command. I just let him take me. I have to credit Dylan Davis, too. We spoke yesterday at Gulfstream about playing on this track and I have to give him a lot of credit. The horse did all the work. He's got small blinkers on so it's just a matter of him feeling that other horse (coming on). He's a younger horse, too. You have to keep them alive and productive, and we did that - he did that. I didn't do anything special today. It was an outside draw and it's all about the horse."

The Road to the Kentucky Derby Challenge series race award points on a 25-15-10-5 scale to second-through-fifth, and Sand Devil held second by nearly two lengths over Garamond. My Mitole and McAfee wound up fourth and fifth, and Pagode, Calling Card, Sacrosanct, and Normandy Coast completed the order.

Flood Zone has yet to try two turns, but he has stamina influences in his female family for longer distances and will be headed to a major Kentucky Derby qualifier off a convincing win in the Gotham. Out of the Curlin mare Curls for Girls, the sophomore counts Belmont (G1) winner Easy Goer as his second maternal damsire.

"Going two turns, he'll be even better in my opinion," Gutierrez said. "He has very good tactical speed and he has gears to go the distance."

The $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct on April 5 is a logical option for Flood Zone’s next appearance.

One race earlier, Drexel Hill enhanced her Kentucky Oaks (G1) credentials with a fast-closing win in the $200,000 Busher. The Whit Beckman-trained filly shipped in from Fair Grounds, recording a third in the Silverbulletday in her previous outing, and the dark bay daughter added 50 qualifying points to her ledger by taking the Road to the Kentucky Oaks Challenge series race.

Ben Curtis was up on the 5-1 fourth choice, and Drexel Hill rated off the pace during the opening stages after a slow start. She launched her bid on the far turn and caught the leaders in deep stretch, splitting rivals to strike the front and win going away by about a length.

“She broke very quick out of the gate and then took a stumble about a jump in and it took her awhile to get going after that,” Curtis said. “She didn't really take to the track very well early, but I let her find her feet and warmed her up into it. I saw the Kenneally horse (Amarth) going well, so I tried to follow that one through. She only really came good the last eighth of a mile and she hit the line very strong. I think she overcame the fact she didn't like the track. She's a very tough filly. She's crying out for more - the further the better. She has a good attitude and she'll stay well."

Amarth, who rallied from midpack to take the lead in midstretch at 23-1, held second by four lengths over pacesetter Volleyballprincess. Next came Fortuna Mia, Ramify, Sharp Smile, She’s Fascinating, and 2-1 favorite Liam in the Dust.

Drexel Hill completed the mile in 1:41.46, and the Kentucky-bred filly had made fine progress since switching to dirt this winter. Owned by Legion Racing, Drexel Hill broke her maiden at Woodbine for Barbara Minshall in her fourth start last November. She was transferred to Beckman and recorded a fifth in December’s Untapable S. at Fair Grounds. Drexel Hill improved when finishing a close third in the Silverbulletday and continued to show more in the Busher.

Beckman, who also has Her Laugh and Simply Laughing on the Kentucky Oaks trail, said the 1 1/8-mile Gazelle (G2) at Aqueduct will be an option for Drexel Hill’s next start.

“I'm not going to say she likes the track, but she did perform well,” Beckman said. “Maybe with a little more distance and some pace, it could be a legitimate option for her. Her Laugh will run in New Orleans (Fair Grounds Oaks [G2]) and Simply Joking we're thinking either at Oaklawn (Fantasy [G2]) or Keeneland (Ashland [G1])."