Nakatani Makes a Brief Return

Jockey Corey Nakatani, who has been serving a 30-day suspension related to a racing incident last March, will be back today -- briefly.

Nakatani, who finished fourth in the standings behind Victor Espinoza, Alex Solis and Tyler Baze at the 2003-04 Santa Anita meet, is named on only one horse, Courtly Jazz, in the seventh race, a $52,000 allowance at 1 1/8 miles. The race is the fifth leg in a pick six with a carry-over of $88,987.

Penalized for allegedly causing interference that led to jockey Javier Santiago’s being unseated, Nakatani will be aboard Courtly Jazz, a 4-year-old Dixieland Band gelding, for the first time.

Courtly Jazz, owned by Lazy Lane Farms, was third in his California debut for trainer Gary Mandella on Nov. 17 at Hollywood Park, then stretched out to 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 30 and broke his maiden by a neck over this main track.

The horse to beat today is Crocker Road, a 4-year-old A.P. Indy colt trained by Bobby Frankel. Crocker Road was beaten by a nose and a head in his last two starts in California.

Race of the day: Childress, who has won 10 of 26 starts, is back in the barn of trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. after having been claimed for $65,000 on Dec. 30 and is the one to beat in today’s ninth, a $37,000 optional claimer at one mile, at Gulfstream Park.

One for the road: Say Hey Willie looks like a single in the late pick four at Aqueduct as she seeks her third win in a row for owner Ernie Paragallo’s Paraneck Stable and trainer Jennifer Pedersen in today’s eighth, a $46,000 allowance at one mile and 70 yards.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Excusabull, Brite Lorelei and Novel in the first, Bromos Lead Change and Cant Woman in the second and Max Power and Blue Boat in the third.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/80. Money: Previous day/meet total: $17.20/$416.00. Total money bet: $494