Hollywood Park: Amazombie sidelined with a wrenched ankle

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – A training-track accident at Betfair Hollywood Park has delayed the comeback of 2011 champion sprinter Amazombie, who will miss the summer season and possibly his entire 7-year-old campaign.

Amazombie has not started since Nov. 3, 2012, finishing eighth as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita, a race which he won in 2011. This winter, Amazombie was plagued by quarter cracks.

Owner-trainer Bill Spawr was targeting the Grade 1 Bing Crosby in summer at Del Mar until the mishap early this month.

“He was just getting ready to breeze again,” Spawr said. “We got the bar shoe off and he was going good.”

Amazombie was coming off the Hollywood training track following a morning gallop when Spawr said an over-eager pony ran in front of him and cut him off. Spawr said Amazombie “wheeled and almost went down . . . he wrenched his [left] ankle.”

X-rays did not reveal a serious injury, but as of Monday morning Amazombie still had swelling in the ankle. It is unclear when he will resume training.

“”We’re on hold right now, he is going to miss Del Mar,” Spawr said.

Amazombie has won 12 races and $1,920,378 from 29 starts. Owned by Spawr and Tom Sanford, the gelding’s six graded stakes wins include three Grade 1s – the BC Sprint and Ancient Title in 2011, and Bing Crosby in 2012.