Holywood Park: Amazombie works six-furlong bullet

Amazombie, the champion sprinter of 2011, worked six furlongs in 1:13.40 at Hollywood Park on Friday under jockey Mike Smith, the fastest of nine recorded works at the distance.

Amazombie worked alone, trainer Bill Spawr said. The 6-year-old Amazombie has not started since finishing a game second to Shackleford in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes on May 5 and is bound for the Bing Crosby Stakes.

“Mike hadn’t been on him for a long time and said he’s thicker now,” Spawr said. “He’s more muscular.”

Amazombie was scheduled to be shipped to Del Mar on Friday afternoon and will have one workout there before the Grade 1 Bing Crosby.

California alters claiming rule

The “jail time” for beaten claimers is being reduced in California.

Effective July 25, losing horses that are claimed can start in claiming races for the same level, or for higher claiming prices, within 25 days of the original claim, as part of a rule change adopted by the California Horse Racing Board.

Previously, all horses that were claimed had to run back at claiming levels 25 percent higher than the claiming price, if they started within 25 days of the race in which they were claimed. The new rule affects only losing claimed horses; winning horses must race for a claiming price 25 percent higher than the claiming price if they start within 25 days of the date in which they were claimed.

The proposal was recommended by the Thoroughbred Owners of California in an effort to allow losing claimed horses to return to racing more rapidly and not be “in jail” for 25 days. The TOC has expressed optimism that the altered rule could increase field sizes.