Sweetheart of a Hunch Play

Hunch players will be lining up behind Valentine Dancer in today’s $200,000 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita.

Valentine Dancer, a 4-year-old In Excess filly, is a legitimate threat to win the longest -- 1 1/8 miles -- and final leg of Santa Anita’s three-race La Canada series. Although four of her six victories have come over turf, Valentine Dancer is capable on the main track.

The most accomplished dirt runner in the Grade II is Victory Encounter. Claimed out of a win against $32,000 maidens by trainer John Sadler for owner Tom Mankiewicz on April 16, the filly has lost once in seven starts over the main track.

She enters the La Canada on a roll, having won four in a row, including a 1 1/4-length win in the El Encino Stakes on Jan. 18. She will break from the rail in the field of eight while Valentine Dancer has the outside post.

Race of the day: Lennyfromalibu, who set a course record for the about 6 1/2-furlong distance over Santa Anita’s hillside turf course when he won in 1:11 on Jan. 22, will try for his fourth consecutive win in today’s $100,000 Sensational Star Handicap.

One for the road: Blushing Indian was impressive in his first start of 2004 for hot trainer Dale Romans and could be ready to step up into stakes company in today’s $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The Hutcheson is part of the Magna Pick Five, which also includes the Barbara Fritchie Handicap from Laurel, a maiden race from Golden Gate Fields, a $25,000 claimer from Santa Anita and the $250,000 Fountain Of Youth from Gulfstream.

Exotically speaking: A pick three singling Hemet Thought in the third, Hickory Pete and Sunshinenbeer in the fourth and Damn The Torpedoes, Pavlosk, Royal Footage, Got The Message, Relentless Seller and Balenos in the fifth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/110. Money: Previous day/meet total: $9/$598.20. Total money bet: $632.