Winter Derby Trials Will Keep Jones Busy

Paul Jones will be a busy man tonight.

The highly successful trainer is scheduled to send out eight 3-year-olds in the five trials for the $200,000 Los Alamitos Winter Derby. The 10 fastest qualifiers in the trials will race in the finals in two weeks.

In the first 400-yard trial, Jones will be represented by I Ought To Be First, who posted a 47-1 surprise in his first start of 2003, and Dealadash.

Jones will also have two starters in the second trial -- Red Hot Blitzer and Sum Special Strawfly, who was first or second in nine of 11 starts as a 2-year-old.

Winning at about a 30% rate during the early stages of Los Alamitos’ new season, Jones will have only one starter in the third and fourth trials. Proud Mellenna, who was second to Lotsalacy in her California debut on Jan. 19, will take on Lotsalacy again in the third, and Stel Corona will try for a third consecutive victory in the fourth.

Then, in the final trial, Jones will send out Lock To Load, an impressive maiden winner on Jan. 4, and Deefirst, a four-time winner last year.

The picks: 1. A Desert Secret. 2. Fra Amici. 3. Bw Romas Royal. 4. Coup Of Corona. 5. Sum Special Strawfly. 6. Toll The Cash. 7. Stel Corona. 8. Lock To Load. 9. Snowy Substance. 10. Kids Dasher.

Four! Use Funny Secret, A Desert Secret and Bluegrass Blurr in the first, Dawn’s Moonlight and Fra Amici in the second, Braces Keeper and Bw Romas Royal in the third and I Ought To Be First and Coup Of Corona in the fourth.

Shots in the dark: Bud Sniffer won and tries better now in the fifth. Hi Tori could rebound in the sixth.

Post time: 6:30 p.m.

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