Ryland Will Try to Make It Short and Sweet

A winner of two in a row at 550 yards, Ryland will cut back in distance in tonight’s $15,000 Laguna Hills Handicap.

Ryland, a 4-year-old gray gelding owned by the Donald H. Ryan Revocable Trust and trained by Jesus Enriquez, will have five opponents going 350 yards but he has also excelled at this shorter trip.

Before he won the Cerritos and Paul Ford handicaps at 550, the California-bred had won three in succession at 350. In all, Ryland went five for seven in 2002 after winning only one of seven starts as a 2-year-old. Eddie Garcia, who recently became the second-winningest rider in Los Alamitos history, keeps his regular mount on Ryland.

Trainer Paul Jones will send out two in the Laguna Hills -- Westmont, who is also shortening up after finishing fourth to the venerable Sign Of Lanty in last month’s Marathon National, and Truly Tia, the Brotherly Handicap runner-up.

Rounding out the lineup are Takin On Spoon Man, Valberry Pie and Jeh Company.

The picks: 1. Crocodile Hunter. 2. Catch You Later. 3. Power Trip. 4. Ja Runaway Dash. 5. Head Fake. 6. Breaking Up. 7. Snowy Substance. 8. Ryland. 9. Point Break.

Four! Use Crocodile Hunter and Bobbys First Policy in the first, Catch You Later, Barbies Paint and Ive Gone N Done It in the second, Secret Fun and Power Trip in the third and Ja Runaway Dash and Local Edition in the fourth.

Shots in the dark: War Paint Dancer makes his local debut in the fourth for sharp trainer Christopher O’Dell. Sowing Oats tries softer in the seventh.

Post Time: 7:15 p.m.

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