This Race Promises to Be a Real Firecracker

Four of the nine horses entered in tonight’s $15,000 Firecracker Handicap are coming off victories.

The hottest of all the participants in the 220-yard contest is Runahalf. A 5-year-old gray gelding owned and trained by Juan Aleman, Runahalf has won four in a row and hasn’t lost since March 16.

The photo-finish camera hasn’t been necessary in his last three wins as his smallest margin of victory was a half-length. Leading jockey Ramon Sanchez remains on the Texas-bred son of Runaway Winner.

Among the other entrants: Corazon Caliente has won two minor handicaps in a row for trainer Gilberto Hernandez; Classic First won the Kaweah Bar the last time he was seen about three months ago; Just Down The Lane won for the 12th time in 28 starts on May 10 for trainer Blane Schvaneveldt.

Completing the field are Heza Buggin Wonder, who was last in the California Challenge Championship on June 1, but who had won seven of his first 15 races; Proudest Godess, Schofield Kid, A Secret Account and Unison.

The picks: 1. Paranormal. 2. Purdue Castle. 3. Encrypted. 4. Evil Lady. 5. Honey Lets Go. 6. Broadband. 7. Classic First. 8. Chicks Wicked Six.

Four! Use Paranormal, I Got Hot Pants and Salty Toast in the first; Wayne’s Choice, Purdue Castle and Extraordinary Cop in the second; Yuuba Jr, First Sight and Encrypted in the third and single Evil Lady in the fourth.

Shots in the dark: Gorsuch debuts for trainer Adan Farias in the sixth after being claimed for $10,000 on May 9. Ancient Relic could improve in the eighth in his second race after a long layoff.

Post Time: 5:30 p.m.

On the Net: For entries and results from Los Alamitos, visit: www.latimes.com/horseracing/