Jones runners figure in each leg of late pick three

The $1 late pick three at Los Alamitos on Friday may belong to top trainer Paul Jones.

Jones has leading contenders in maiden special weight races for 2-year-olds in the sixth and seventh races and a prospect in the eighth race in Jess a Favorite Kiss.

Through Sunday, the most recent day of racing at Los Alamitos, Jones was tied for the lead in the trainer standings with Scott Willoughby at 19 wins each. Willoughby has runners in the 2-year-old maiden races Friday.

In the sixth race, Jones starts Swingin Mr Cartel, who was third by a neck in a 300-yard maiden race at 21-1 in his debut May 15. Swingin Mr Cartel is part of a field of six that includes the Willoughby-trained Take Your Choice, who was seventh of nine in a maiden race May 8, losing any chance at a win when he drifted to the inside shortly after the start.

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Willoughby and Jones each have two starters in a field of seven fillies in the seventh race.

Willoughby runs the first-time starter Nomadess, who had a quick 220-yard gate work in 12.6 seconds May 7, and Criminality, who was a troubled seventh in a maiden race April 19. Los Alamitos track owner Ed Allred bred and owns Nomadess and Criminality.

Jones starts Bubala and Suite Josephine, who both have something to prove after losing their first two starts. Bubala was fifth as the 11-10 favorite May 16 after breaking slowly. She was a fine second in her debut April 25.

Suite Josephine was fifth and sixth in her first two starts as a longshot.

A clean break is vital for Jess a Favorite Kiss, who was second in the California Breeders’ Freshman Stakes last July. That performance seems like a long time ago, considering Jess a Favorite Kiss has had trouble at the start in her last four races. She was fifth after she stumbled at the start of an allowance race at 300 yards on May 8, her first race since November.

Jess a Favorite Kiss drew the outside post in a field of six in the 300-yard race.

Fayvorite Chick, third in a similar allowance race May 8, figures to be favored for trainer Matt Fales.

First post time is 6 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.