In Denim N Diamonds, Jones has half the field

Trainer Paul Jones, who saddled 27 stakes winners in 2003, holds his usual strong hand in the $26,500 Denim N Diamonds Handicap on Friday at Los Alamitos. Jones is sending out half of the six-horse field, including Cash for Kas, the third-place finisher in the Los Alamitos Million.

In His Dreams and Rubiate complete Jones's three-horse contingent in the 350-yard race for Cal-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Cash for Kas was on a roll for Jones last fall when she won her maiden on Oct. 30; defeated Hawkish, the Los Alamitos horse of the meet, in their Los Alamitos Million trial; and ran third in the Million, again finishing ahead of Hawkish.

In His Dreams is undefeated in two starts, a maiden claiming race and a starter allowance, but will be taking a big jump in class.

Rubiate has two wins and two second-place finishes in her last four starts, including a second behind In His Dreams in her most recent start.

Trainer Donna McArthur will saddle Long Stemmed Roses, a three-time Grade 1 futurity qualifier, and Make It Work, who comes off a third-place finish in a stakes for juveniles who did not qualify for the Los Alamitos Million.

AB What a Runner comes back

Millionaire and champion AB What a Runner will try to rebound from a sixth-place effort in the Champion of Champions when she returns in the Grade 1, $125,000 Charger Bar Handicap for fillies and mares Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

AB What a Runner, the 2002 champion 2-year-old, could be in line for another championship title, with wins last year in the Grade 1 Mildred Vessels over older mares and the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Derby. On the strength of those two victories at Los Alamitos, she was sent off as the 9-5 favorite in the Grade 1, $500,000 Champion of Champions - and that loss is the only time she has finished below second place in 10 starts.

AB What a Runner, winner of eight races and earner of $1,225,374, started her career with seven straight wins, including the 2002 All American Futurity.

The first horse to defeat AB What a Runner was Strawberry Dash, who is entered in the 400-yard Charger Bar. She beat AB What a Runner by a head in their Los Alamitos Derby trial.

Trainer Jaime Gomez sends out Dinastia Toll, the defending Charger Bar winner, and Royaltime Classic, winner of the Grade 1 Distaff Challenge Championship.

Dinastia Toll lost to AB What a Runner in the Mildred Vessels, then won the Las Damas Handicap on Oct. 11.

Royaltime Classic was second by a nose to AB What a Runner in the Mildred Vessels and won the Distaff Challenge by a length over Mini Rock, who is making her first start since that Nov. 1 race in the Charger Bar.