Santa Anita: Dancing in Silks unretired, nearing workout

Justin N. Lane

Dancing in Silks, winning the 2009 Breeders' Cup Sprint, is expected to have an initial comeback breeze after Jan. 1.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Dancing in Silks, upset winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, has been unretired and is nearing a workout for his new trainer, Anthony Saavedra. Dancing in Silks won the BC Sprint for trainer Carla Gaines and then made three futile starts this year for Kathy Walsh before he was retired.

However, training for a postrace career as a hunter-jumper was not working out for Dancing in Silks. His owner, Ken Kinakin, was impressed by how Saavedra handled veteran gelding Shadow of Illinois, who won as a 9-year-old before retiring at age 11 after winning 10 of 50, and Kinakin contacted Saavedra and asked if he would consider training Dancing in Silks. Saavedra said yes.

“The horse is sound,” Saavedra said. “His feet got sore, but now he is fine.”

Dancing in Silks returned to the track in November and has been galloping and jogging daily under Saavedra. He said Dancing in Silks “wanted to go” Thursday morning, and he plans an initial comeback breeze after Jan. 1. Dancing in Silks, a 6-year-old gelding, has won seven races and $1,492,715 from 21 starts.

Amazombie has strong workout

Amazombie, the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner, looked super Dec. 21 in his second workout since he resumed training. He worked three furlongs in 35.40 for trainer Bill Spawr (he was credited with a half-mile in 48.40 breezing). Spawr is preparing Amazombie for the Grade 2 Palos Verdes at six furlongs on Jan. 21.

“We gave him a month off [after the Breeders’ Cup], and he’s happy,” Spawr said.

Amazombie, 10 for 23 with earnings of $1,525,708, is expected to face Euroears and Courtside in the Palos Verdes.

Zazu, Switch look to spring

Trainer John Sadler is looking forward to Feb. 1, when Grade 1 winners Zazu and Switch return to his Santa Anita stable. Zazu, a 3-year-old filly, was sidelined in fall with a shoulder ailment.

Switch, 4, was given a rest after her runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Both are stabled at Rancho Paseana.

“We’ll miss the first quarter of the year and get them ready for the start of the Hollywood spring meet,” Sadler said.

Zazu has won 4 of 11, including the Grade 1 Lady's Secret at Santa Anita on Oct. 1; Switch has won 5 of 18, with seven seconds and earnings of $1,228,600. The long-range goal for Zazu would be the Breeders’ Cup Ladies' Classic; Switch would target the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.

Malibu Pier retired from racing

After two subpar efforts in fall, the Grade 2-winning filly Malibu Pier has been retired. Owned and bred by B. Wayne Hughes, Malibu Pier was trained throughout her 6-for-14 career by Carla Gaines. She earned $466,200 and was among the top grass fillies on the circuit last year.

“She retired sound,” Gaines said. Her Grade 2 wins included the Santa Ana and Santa Barbara handicaps at Santa Anita; she also won the Grade 3 Beverly Hills at Hollywood Park.

Pacific Ocean done for the season

An impressive Grade 3 comeback win Nov. 26 by sprinter Pacific Ocean will be his final start for the fall-winter season, trainer Mike Mitchell said Thursday. Pacific Ocean wired the field in the Vernon Underwood Stakes, earning a 108 Beyer Figure. But a subsequent setback curtailed his campaign.

“It’s a very minor thing,” Mitchell said, without being specific. “I’m going to give him two months off, and bring him back in the Triple Bend (at Hollywood Park in summer) or the Bing Crosby (at Del Mar).” 

Pacific Ocean, 4 for 6, is owned by JMJ Racing.