Santa Anita: Amazombie re-routes to San Carlos Stakes for 2012 bow

ARCADIA, Calif. – Amazombie’s absence from the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita last Saturday will postpone his 2012 debut until the $200,000 San Carlos Stakes on Feb. 25, trainer Bill Spawr said Sunday.

The champion sprinter of 2011, Amazombie was withdrawn from the Palos Verdes because of wet track conditions, a decision that Spawr said he did not regret Sunday. The Palos Verdes was won by the ex-claimer Frumious, who set a quick pace while leading throughout. He finished six furlongs in 1:07.28.

Considering the way that a speed horse dominated the Palos Verdes, and the way front-runners have excelled in recent weeks, Spawr was happy to have kept a closer such as Amazombie in the stable.

“I had fans come up to me during the races and thank me for scratching him,” Spawr said. “They’ve got to do something to change things. If you’re first to the quarter-pole, it’s a slingshot to the winner’s circle.”

The Grade 2 San Carlos is run over seven furlongs, which Spawr said may better suit Amazombie, who has not started since a win in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs in November.

“It’s seven-eighths, and I think he’ll be closer,” Spawr said of the San Carlos.

Santa Anita president George Haines said Sunday that track officials are cognizant of the speedy nature of the main track.

“We’re worried about the safety and the consistency,” he said. “We would like it to be a little slower, and we’ll work it.

“The first two come first,” he said, of the safety and consistency issues.

Last week, sand and clay components were added to the surface before the racing week began on Thursday. Haines said that there are no plans to add additional material this week.