As Derby season starts winding up, thought I'd share some thoughts on potential bombs prior to the bigger preps.

Flood Zone: After a better-than-it looked debut with an underwhelming number, connections put him in the FL-bred race. Led them most of the way, got headed by the heavy fav, and re-broke to win by more than five. One-turn but gets a fig that puts in the discussion with the other 3 year olds from the last weekend. By Frosted out of a Curlin mare. Maternal grandma is by Easy Goer. Classic distances are in play. Could use an upgrade at jockey.

Treaty of Rome: Fell short by a neck in the MMM, but was the one finishing. Brown's lesser favored in there, he's another with an interesting pedigree. Uncle Mo out of a Montjeu mare, one would have thought turf. Maternal grandma is by Seeking the Gold. He's done enough for Brown to keep him on dirt. Number won't be great, but will be better than the winner (wide). They were also running into a pretty good headwind from the chute, so better than the number will show.

Gryphon: 2nd of two Casse's in a maiden. Squeezed at the break to drop back 8 lengths behind the leader. Circled the field to win by 5, ahead of Irad and Pletcher. Number will be just ok helped by being wide, but considering the trouble . . . Was in with the rest for a $50k tag, so Casse couldn't have thought much of him. Neither did the trackside commentator, who complained about a "long back". She wasn't a fan of Connect's progeny either, but bottom has Malibu Moon and Unbridled's Song.

Replays are here - races 4,8 10. (R1 also has a nice turf maiden).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCt8_Jp_0Yc