Spawr pleased that Amazombie’s form was boosted on Memorial
Day
When it comes to discussing Amazombie, last year’s champion sprinter, Bill
Spawr starts slowly, but the tempo quickly increases and he finds it difficult
to rein in his exuberance. If all goes as planned, the six-year-old California
bred will take the exact same path as last year when he captured the Breeders’
Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs, using the Grade 1 Triple Bend, Grade 1 Bing
Crosby and Grade 1 Ancient Title as springboards.
Amazombie, who captured the Grade 2 Potrero Grande two starts back on April
7, was most recently second in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes. The form of
both was franked Monday: Potrero Grande runner-up Roman Threat wired the Grade 3
Los Angeles Handicap, and Churchill Downs winner Shackleford came right back to
win a thrilling renewal of the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap.
Sizing up this year’s competition, Spawr wasn’t shy.
When asked about Roman Threat’s decisive victory in Monday’s Los Angeles
Handicap, the trainer replied, “Bring him on. We already beat him easy.”
Though the official chart shows Amazombie defeating Roman Threat by
three-quarters of a length, Spawr said the margin is deceiving.
“Did you see my rider (Mike Smith), he could have opened up any time he
wanted.
“Did you see Shackleford run? He defeated all the ‘world beaters’ on the East
coast. Shackleford will never run against us going six or 6 1/2 furlongs because
he wouldn’t have a shot. He’s not going to run that short because he’s going to
catch horses like The Factor, who’s going to go (a half mile in) 43 (seconds).
He can’t do that.
“Take nothing away from that horse, he’s a good horse. We would have liked to
win the race the other day (when second in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs
Stakes), but things didn’t go right. I know that and the people with the horse
know that. But we were pleased to run second to that horse. They were five or
six in front of the others and some of them have already come back to win.
“We probably had our best day of the year Monday when Shackleford won that
race and Roman Threat won the Los Angeles. It more than flatters us.”
Amazombie breezed three furlongs in :36 Monday, his first official drill
since returning from Kentucky.
“I’m probably 75-80 per cent sure he’ll go in the Triple Bend (at Hollywood
Park on June 30),” Spawr said Thursday. “His last race, the trip and all, really
tired him out. But he’s back to normal now. He tried to run off this morning,
which he’s never done. He’s really sharp now.
“If I have any doubt at all, just the slightest doubt, I’ll wait for the Bing
Crosby because I have to win the Ancient Title. That’s my goal. The Breeders’
Cup, you have to be lucky to win that, but I have to win the Ancient Title
because it’s a ‘Win and You’re In.’ It’s a huge, huge difference. I didn’t
believe how important it is until I won it last year.
“I feel so confident in the horse,” Spawr said. “I think he’s even stronger
than last year. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
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