‘Apollo Will Need to Step It Up

A winner against $25,000 foes on April 25, A Dash Of Apollo will try to knock off better in tonight’s eighth, a $50,000 claimer for older horses at 350 yards.

Owned by Arciero Farms and trained by Paul Jones, A Dash Of Apollo won by a head as the 8-5 favorite a month ago for his third win in 22 starts. All three of his victories have come with jockey Alejandro Luna and he remains tonight.

Jones will have two other runners in the field of five. Cee A Dash, who was sixth in his last start in the California Derby Challenge last Sept. 20, returns with jockey Ramon Sanchez, and Red Hot Blitzer, who has won four of 20, will be ridden by Joe Badilla Jr.

Brian Dasher, who was fifth at 3-1 in his first try for this claiming price, and Chiarascuro, who hasn’t won since 2002, complete the lineup.

The picks: 1. Ahme Gone. 2. Country Lover. 3. No Such Thing. 4. Roseman Bridge. 5. Woody Wanta Dash. 6. Elyse Lane. 7. Vialyn. 8. Red Hot Blitzer. 9. Agusta Effort.

Four! Ahme Gone in the first, Spin Vader, Country Doctor and All Bright in the second, No Such Thing and Corona Mas Fino in the third and Roseman Bridge, Beda Be Famous, Fleurs Count Corona and Little Moon Boots in the fourth.

Shots in the dark: Wcr Strongest Link is returned to his claimed level by trainer Chuck Treece in the fifth. Cee A Dash is back at the distance of his last two wins in the eighth.

Post Time: 5:30 p.m.

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