Crown of Thorns among comebackers in Potrero Grande

Crown of Thorns (far left) just missed in a blanket finish in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Ted Terquinio/Horsephotos.com) Sunday’s $150,000 Potrero Grande S. (G2) at Santa Anita serves as the comeback spot for a few graded stakes veterans — CROWN OF THORNS (Repent), M ONE RIFLE (One Man Army), ATTA BOY ROY (Tribunal) and CHOCOLATE CANDY (Candy Ride [Arg]). They will meet such race-fit speedsters as AMAZOMBIE (Northern Afleet), CAPTAIN CHEROKEE (Sir Cherokee) and defending champion VENTANA (Toccet) in the 6 1/2-furlong dash. The talented but fragile Crown of Thorns, now a six-year-old, has raced only eight times in his career, but has made his races count. Knocked off the Triple Crown by injury following his impressive score in the 2008 Robert B. Lewis S. (G2), the Richard Mandella trainee has kept mostly to sprints since. He has garnered runner-up honors in his last four starts — the 2009 Ancient Title S. (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), and the 2010 Pat O’Brien S. (G1) and Goodwood S. (G1), the latter his only two-turn race since the Lewis. Crown of Thorns will be competing over a traditional dirt surface for the first time, but his recent bullet works suggest that he’s handling it just fine. Rafael Bejarano will renew acquaintance with the likely closer from post 7 in the 10-horse field.

M One Rifle, the winner of the 2009 Malibu S. (G1), aims to give trainer
Bruce Headley his seventh Potrero Grande trophy. The five-year-old gelding has
been sidelined since July, when he faded to fourth in the Triple Bend H. (G1),
but has been working up a storm for his dirt debut. Chantal Sutherland picks up
the mount on the pace factor.

Atta Boy Roy was last seen being vanned off after finishing 10th in the
November 6 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, but thankfully, the Washington-bred Cinderella
story didn’t sustain the suspensory injury first feared. The $4,500 yearling
purchase has been training strongly of late for Valorie Lund, suggesting that
he’s ready to return to his sparkling form of 2010. Last year, Atta Boy Roy’s
highlights included a victory in the Churchill Downs S. (G2) and a runner-up
effort to the streaking Majesticperfection in the Iowa Sprint H., and he figures
to gun it from the rail Sunday with Vicky Baze.

Triple Crown veteran Chocolate Candy, who was unplaced in the 2009 Kentucky
Derby (G1) and Belmont S. (G1), cuts back to a sprint for the first time since
his juvenile days. Winless since taking the El Camino Real Derby (G3) two years
ago, he failed to hit the board in three starts last campaign, and hopes to get
back on track for Jerry Hollendorfer here.

The Bill Spawr-trained Amazombie is better than ever this winter. He battled
to a game score in the January 29 Sunshine Millions Sprint S., and came back to
finish second in the February 27 Sensational Star H. at about 6 1/2 furlongs on
Santa Anita’s downhill turf.

“He’s better on dirt,” Spawr said.

Mike Smith, the regular rider of both M One Rifle and Amazombie, partners the
latter Sunday.

“He likes Amazombie,” Spawr said. “He worked him Tuesday. The horse is a trier. You can depend on him. If you beat
him, you better run hard. He’s that kind of horse.”

“He worked really good,” Smith said of the five-furlong move in 1:00 2/5.
“He’s a classy old horse. He does his
thing. I basically stay out of his way.”

Captain Cherokee, a half-brother to 2007 champion sprinter Midnight Lute, has
been knocking on the door this meet for Steve Asmussen. Runner-up in the January
22 Palos Verdes S. (G2) to Euroears (Langfuhr), who went on to finish second in
last Saturday’s lucrative Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1), Captain Cherokee missed
by only a head to the top-class sprinter Smiling Tiger (Hold That Tiger) in the
February 19 San Carlos H. (G2).

Wilburn looks to follow up on his terrific maiden win (Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos) Ventana prevailed by a nose in the 2010 Potrero Grande, but headed to the sidelines following a fourth to Atta Boy Roy in the Churchill Downs. The Bob Baffert charge reappeared with a closing fourth in the Palos Verdes, and a solid fourth in the San Carlos, and could be primed in his third start off the layoff. COLGAN’S CHIP (Cee’s Tizzy), whose best results last season came over a mile on turf, shortens up and tries dirt, while Sunshine Millions Sprint fourth DON TITO (Trippi) and Grade 3-placed comebacker BET ON VICTOR (Yankee Victor) complete the line-up. One race earlier Sunday, smashing debut maiden winner WILBURN (Bernardini) stretches out in a one-mile allowance/optional claimer carded as the 7TH. The Asmussen sophomore looked bound for bigger things when surging to a 3 1/4-length triumph in a sprint on March 5, and the added distance should suit the well-bred colt to a tee.

Other contenders in the eight-horse field include Baffert’s UNCLE SAM (Tapit),
unraced since his fourth in the January 15 Sham S. (G3); Borderland Derby third
SPECIAL KID (Lemon Drop Kid); Hollendorfer’s RED SHARP HUMOR (Sharp Humor),
exiting a determined score over subsequent maiden romper Midnight Interlude (War
Chant); GREAT WARRIOR (Brz) (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]), just denied in his U.S.
debut; and CHILOQUIN (Tribal Rule), recently a close third to the Santa Anita
Derby (G1)-bound Mr. Commons (Artie Schiller).