Injury Sidelines Uncle Denny

Stan Fulton's grade III winner Uncle Denny has been withdrawn from the Triple Crown trail after suffering a bone chip to his right front ankle, trainer Rafael Becerra revealed Sunday.

The California-bred son of In Excess was scheduled to work when the chip was discovered Saturday. He's set to undergo surgery to remove the chip early Monday morning and will be sidelined for at least three months.

"We x-rayed and found (the chip)," Becerra said. "Anytime you have to x-ray you know it's not good news."

Uncle Denny posted an impressive victory in the March 12 El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) at Golden Gate Fields and also won the California Breeders' Championship Stakes and is four-for-five overall in his career.

"In the long run it's probably the best," Becerra said. "We'll still have a good horse, just later in the year. That's the bad part of the game; sometimes there are more downs than ups."

Becerra traveled to Kentucky a year ago with grade II winner St Averil, who was withdrawn two days before the Run for the Roses because of foot problems.