Uncle Denny

- Uncle Denny (In Excess) took the G3 El Camino Real Derby at Bay Meadows despite being involved in a quick, contested pace, going 45.3 and 1:09.4; and he’d been either outside of or between horses the whole time when he turned for home. But after switching leads at the top of the stretch, he skipped away and won by 2 in 1:42.1, actually a couple of ticks faster than High Limit. He showed the kind of speed and grit that I imagine would make the High Limit folks hope that his owners don’t put up the dough to nominate him for the Derby.

Uncle Denny’s race was kind of similar to the win by Badge of Silver (Silver Deputy) in the G2 New Orleans Handicap. He too was engaged in a fast pace, and was double and triple teamed rounding the turn, but started to draw off in mid-stretch. And did you see the G1 Santa Margarita? Amazing finish as Tarlow (Stormin Fever) just managed to hold on, getting the head bob and dealing a tough beat to Dream of Summer and any of her backers at 9-1, ouch!