Uncle Denny Returns to Comfortable Situation

Uncle Denny has won four of nine starts in his career, and three of the victories have come in races restricted to California breds.

After two losses against open company in his first two outings at the current Santa Anita meet, the 4-year-old son of In Excess will face state breds in the $100,000 Crystal Water Handicap today at Santa Anita.

Owned by Stan Fulton and trained by Rafael Becerra, Uncle Denny is one of a dozen entered in the Crystal Water, an ungraded race scheduled for one mile on the turf.

In his two races in 2006, Uncle Denny has run well. He was second to Terroplane in an allowance on Jan. 20, then finished third, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, by Fast And Furious in another allowance on Feb. 16.

Patrick Valenzuela, the meet’s leading rider, returns on Uncle Denny, who was purchased for $140,000 in 2003.

Other contenders in the Crystal Water, which is being run for the 15th time, are Hockey The General; He’s The Rage, who is making his first start since winning by a nose at Del Mar last Aug. 24 for trainer Kristin Mulhall; Super Strut and McCann’s Mojave, who has a new rider in Kent Desormeaux as he seeks his second win on the grass for owner-breeders Mike Willman and Alix Nikki Hunt.

Race of the day: Scanlon’s Song, who disappointed badly at 9-10 in his first start against winners on Feb. 25, will try to bounce back for owner Ernie Paragallo’s Paraneck Stable in the eighth race today at Aqueduct. An easy winner at 29-1 in his bow on Jan. 28 after rallying from last in a field of 10, Scanlon’s Song, a 3-year-old son of Partner’s Hero, will be ridden by Ramon Dominguez in the $46,000 optional claimer at 1 1/8 miles.

One for the road: Southern Streamer adds Lasix for her second career start and switches to jockey Edgar Prado as she tries to break her maiden in the sixth race today at Gulfstream Park. The 3-year-old Dixie Union filly, who finished third in her bow on Jan. 22, has worked four times since the effort for owner G. Watts Humphrey and trainer Rusty Arnold entering the $32,000 maiden contest at six furlongs.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Runs In The Family in the second, Three Knots and Coming Alive in the third and Three Points, Fear No Darkness and Lemon Law in the fourth.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 4/180. Money: (previous day/meet total): $17.60/$1,069.60. Total money bet: $1,034.