Trainer Jones Sets Record With Eight Wins

On the same day jockey Eddie Castro set a North American record at Calder by winning nine races at single track, trainer Paul Jones set a record for victories at Los Alamitos.

Jones, the perennial runaway leader in the standings at the quarter horse track, won eight of the 15 races on the Saturday night card, all of which were trials for the $1.4-million Ed Burke Million Futurity, which will be run on June 25.

Five of Jones’ 2-year-olds qualified for the Grade I, meaning he will saddle half the field in the 350-yard Burke. Wave Carver, the second-fastest qualifier; One Corona (fourth), Corona Crystal (fifth), Christie Jo Dash (seventh) and Fishing In Chivato (10th) were the qualifiers for Jones, who had 24 starters Saturday night. Fishing In Chivato did not win his trial, but his time was 17.610 seconds in finishing second to Christie Jo Dash.

The previous record for wins on a card at Los Alamitos was six, by Blane Schvaneveldt, the all-time leading trainer at the track, on Nov. 11, 1991, and John Bassett on Nov. 30, 2001.

“I just have a lot of nice horses and you also have to have a lot of racing luck,” said Jones. “The great thing about the trials is that you are pointing to them for months and you can really get a horse ready for them. We have a lot of good babies and that’s the key.”

The fastest qualifier for the Burke was Identity Theft, who won the second trial in 17.42 seconds. He is trained by Mike Joiner for owners Mike Abraham and Leslie and Pierre Amestoy and was ridden by G.R. Carter.

-- Bob Mieszerski