It’s Jones’ Race to Lose

Trainer Paul Jones has tonight’s $26,400 Dillingham Handicap surrounded.

The meet’s leading trainer and the American Quarter Horse Racing Assn. trainer of the year in 2002 will saddle three of the five 3-year-olds entered in the 400-yard race.

Tiene Mucho Blanco, a paint, is the only one of the three Jones runners coming off a victory. He was impressive winning the Super Bowl Handicap on Jan. 25, winning the 550-yard race by almost four lengths.

Corey Jensen will ride and the gelded son of Splash Bac will break from the inside post.

I Ought To Be First, who won two in a row before finishing fifth in the Los Alamitos Derby on Feb. 22, and Winter Derby runner-up Dealadash are Jones’ other two entries. Love A Lark Jr, who has won three of nine for trainer Chuck Treece, and Scuba Steve, who is seeking his third victory in a row for trainer Adan Farias, complete the field.

The picks: 1. Eternally Irish. 2. Rare Song. 3. Miss Fatih. 4. Elainas Snowplow. 5. Foxie Lady Fisher. 6. Lady Roxie. 7. Delusively. 8. Dealadash. 9. Blushing Blake.

Four! Use Eternally Irish and Bonny Johnny in the first, Royal Juno Bug, Callmeshady and Rare Song in the second, single Miss Fatih in the third and Elainas Snowplow and Carol Day in the fourth.

Shots in the dark: Dash Short should improve second time out in the fifth. Raja’s Pearl is a firster debuting in a bad race in the sixth.

Post Time: 6:30 p.m.

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