Santa Anita: Amazombie expected to face six challengers in Sprint Championship

Amazombie, the champion sprinter of 2011, will have as many as six rivals in Saturday’s $250,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, a key prep for the Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 3.

The Santa Anita Sprint Championship is run over six furlongs and is part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offering a fees-paid berth to the winner, if nominated to the program.

Amazombie, who won the BC Sprint at Churchill Downs last year, has not started since winning the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on July 29. His main rivals on Saturday are Capital Account and Camp Victory, who were first and third in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 26.

The field has one filly – the 3-year-old Reneesgotzip, the winner of two stakes earlier this year.

The top turf race at Santa Anita on Saturday is the $150,000 Arroyo Seco Mile, a race led by Obviously and Mr. Commons. They were first and second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 26.

The Arroyo Seco Mile field has one international runner in the Japanese import Trailblazer, who is using the race as a prep for the BC Turf over 1 1/2 miles on Nov. 3. A Grade 2 winner in Japan, Trailblazer worked five furlongs in 1:40 at Hollywood Park on Wednesday.

The $100,000 Tim Conway Stakes for 2-year-olds over six furlongs includes Zeewat, the undefeated winner of the Cavonnier Stakes at Santa Rosa in August.