Amazombie Back to Kentucky for Churchill Downs Stakes

Sprint champion Amazombie returns to the scene of his 2011 Breeders' Cup Sprint triumph in Saturday's Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Amazombie has made two starts since last year's BC Sprint. He finished 3rd behind The Factor in his G2 San Carlos return at seven panels and was last seen winning the G2 Potrero Grande at Santa Anita Park. Mike Smith takes his usual position aboard the Bill Spawr trainee.

Dale Romans is trying to turn Shackleford into an extended sprint specialist and his results have been solid so far. The 2011 Preakness winner landed the place in last year's G1 BC Dirt Mile and set the pace and held the show in a salty renewal of the G1 Carter in April.

Smiling Tiger runs well off the bench and could be poised to fire a fresh shot under Joel Rosario. He has won three times at seven panels and was 3rd in the 2010 BC Sprint at Churchill Downs.

Apriority missed by a nose in last year's running of the Churchill Downs Stakes and Bejarano got to know him at Oaklawn Park last out. He has fired Exacta shots in all four starts at this trip.

The 8-horse field is completed by Alma D'oro, Hamazing Destiny, Gantry, and Will's Wildcat.