Amazombie snubbing Triple Bend idea for Bing Crosby
Last year’s champion sprint, Amazombie has had three starts this season, and from those three starts the 6-year-old gelding managed a single win in the Grade 2 Potrero Grande Stakes at about six and one half furlongs at Santa Anita Park, where he defeated
Roman Threat in second and Camp Victory in third with the winning time of 1 minute and 14.16 seconds.
The other two starts were close, but not close enough for Amazombie, who finished third in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes also at Santa Anita Park over a distance of 7 furlongs to winner The Factor. The Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes served as Amazombie’s seasonal
debut.
Owned in partnership with Bill Spawr and Thomas C. Sanford, Amazombie is exiting a close second place finish to, Shackleford, in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes at about seven furlongs on 5 May, 2012.
Initially, after the Churchill Downs Stakes it was decided by the sprinter’s connections that he will run in the Triple Bend, but now they seem to have a change in heart and decided to go with the Grade 1 Bing Crosby.
The Grade 1 Bing Crosby will be held this summer at Del Mar on 29 July, 2012, over the venue’s synthetic surface at about six furlongs.
Bill Spawr’s trainee hasn’t had a six furlong sprint since he won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint last fall at Churchill Downs, where he finished at the top of the pile by defeating the likes of Force Freeze in second and Jackson Bend in third, with the
winning time of 1 minute and 9.17 seconds.
The son of Northern Afleet seems comfortable over the six furlong distance, as he showed that once again last year, when he went on to win the Grade 1 Ancient Title Stakes.
Coming on the back of three third place finishes, the Grade 1 Ancient Title Stakes win was a welcome victory for Amazombie, who was considered as a choker when it came to the final furlong, as he seemed to give way to other runners.
Same is happening this year, and out of three starts it has happened twice. It is a general perception that jockey Mike Smith and Amazombie anchor back too much, and in the end they fell short because they have too much to do.
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