Return to Southern California may help Count of Amazonia

A month after he was claimed for $50,000 at Del Mar, Count of Amazonia finished fifth in a $190,570 handicap at a mile on turf Sept. 14 at Kentucky Downs. In hindsight, the journey may not have been a good idea for the five-time winner.

“I might have run him back too soon,” trainer Bob Hess Jr. said Wednesday. “I might have sent him there and it took too much out of him.”

After the loss, Count of Amazonia was sent back to California, where the 5-year-old gelding has his second start for Hess in an allowance race at a mile on turf Saturday at Santa Anita.

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Count of Amazonia is part of a field of seven that includes the stakes winners Earls Rock, Flashiest, and Zoffarelli.

An Irish-bred gelding, Count of Amazonia has won once in 10 starts in the United States, in the $50,000 claimer at Del Mar on the day he was claimed by Hess.

A return to California may be what Count of Amazonia needs for a second win this year, Hess said.

“I feel like we have him better prepared this time,” Hess said. “I think he’ll fly late.”

The allowance race is the first start for Earls Rock since a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf in April 2021 at Keeneland. Earls Rock won the Baffle Stakes for turf sprinters at Santa Anita in early 2021.

“I think I’ve got him as fit as I can off of workouts,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “He’s a happy horse. We gave him plenty of time for a little soft-tissue issue.”

D’Amato said Earls Rock’s comeback was further delayed by complications when he was gelded earlier this year.

“We gave him extra time off for that,” D’Amato said. “He’s not had any issues. If he runs as good as he’s training, I think he’ll be right there.”

The D’Amato-trained Gypsy King is likely to set the pace. A winner of 2 of 9 starts, Gypsy King was third in an allowance race at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course Oct. 8 when ridden by Umberto Rispoli.

“He wants to go two turns,” D’Amato said. “He ran a good third the other day and didn’t get the greatest trip.”

Flashiest won the Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar in July 2021 but is winless in his last 10 starts. Trained by Leonard Powell, Flashiest was fifth in an allowance race at a mile on turf at Del Mar in August in his most recent start.

Zoffarelli won the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on turf at Del Mar via the disqualification of a rival in August 2021. After finishing fourth and sixth in turf sprints at Del Mar and Santa Anita in recent months, Zoffarelli will return to a mile for the first time since late 2021 on Saturday.

“I always thought he was a route horse,” trainer Jeff Mullins said. “I sprinted him at Del Mar to get a race into him. He ran decent, and we tried him again and it didn’t work out, so we’re back to a mile.”

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