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.

WHO’S HOT

Tappan Street and Sandman won Grade 1 races March 29; their Derby Watch odds subsequently dropped. Tappan Street won the Florida Derby in just his third career start; Sandman took advantage of a blistering pace to win the Arkansas Derby. Tappan Street drops to 10-1, co-third choice. Sandman was lowered to 12-1 by Daily Racing Form linemaker David Aragona.

Captain Cook

Colt by Practical Joke – Pow Wow Wow, by Indian Charlie

Bred in Kentucky by Marylou Whitney Stables ($410,000 Keeneland November horses of racing age purchase by Steven Young)

The bloodlines of the vaunted Whitney program have rarely been available in the public marketplace. That changed last year, when John Hendrickson, widower of Marylou Whitney, died.

Render Judgment is scheduled to make his next start in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Blue Grass on April 5 at Keeneland, trainer Kenny McPeek said.

The son of Blame is one of two prospects McPeek currently has in play for the Kentucky Derby, a race he won last year with Mystik Dan. The other is Maximum Promise, who was third in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks last Saturday at Turfway Park.

“I think that’s about where we’re at,” McPeek said.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – A stall toy gave trainer Lonnie Briley a tip-off about how to proceed with Coal Battle on the road to the Kentucky Derby.

Briley has been closely monitoring the Rebel winner, to see if he should run him back in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday or just train up to the Kentucky Derby. He said last week that Coal Battle gave him a clear sign to enter the Arkansas Derby.

“I thought he was going to rip his ball off the wall yesterday, playing with it,” Briley said. “He’s jumping out of his skin. He’s feeling so good right now.”

Led by the Kentucky-bred colt Luxor Cafe, 15 3-year-olds have been nominated for Saturday’s Fukuryu Stakes at Nayakama Racecourse, the final race of the Japanese qualifying series for the Kentucky Derby.

The Fukuryu Stakes is run at 1 1/8 miles, a distance that many of the nominees have already tried.

Luxor Cafe, by American Pharoah, has had five starts and has won his last three starts in a maiden race at a mile at Tokyo last November, an allowance race at 1 1/8 miles at Nayakama on Jan. 11, and the Hyacinth Stakes at a mile at Tokyo on Feb. 23.