Ten Oclock Scholar meets Jones duo

Spencer Childers Handicap winner Ten Oclock Scholar meets two Grade 1 winners from the Paul Jones stable, Frankie Shoots and No Secrets Here, in the Grade 1, $100,000 Go Man Go Invitational Handicap over 400 yards at Los Alamitos on Saturday night.

Ten Oclock Scholar started his 2008 season in sensational form when he won the Grade 1 Spencer Childers California Championship after returning from a more than eight-month layoff. He overcame a bump at the start of the 400-yard stakes to win by a neck over Not a Full Moon, with Frankie Shoots third.

In 2007, the Dan Francisco-trained Ten Oclock Scholar was second in the Grade 1 PCQHRA Breeders Derby and raced to third-place finishes in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby and the Grade 1 Governor's Cup Derby.

Frankie Shoots was the even-money favorite in the Childers after winning his three previous starts, capped by his Grade 1, $150,000 Vessels Maturity victory. He impressed in the Vessels Maturity when he drew out to a half-length win in 19.41 seconds for the 400 yards as the 1-2 favorite.

In the Childers, he came up a half-length short of Ten Oclock Scholar from the inside post position.

No Secrets Here has earned $1,571,836 on the strength of his futurity performances in 2006. He won the Grade 1, $1.9 million All American Futurity and was third in the Grade 1, $2 million Los Alamitos Two Million.

No Secrets Here was second by a nose in the 2007 Los Alamitos Super Derby and he started his 2008 season with a second-place effort as the 5-2 favorite in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Championship. He was then rested and returned to finish a close second in an Aug. 24 allowance race, a tuneup for his fall stakes campaign.

Little Bit of Baja makes his first start since a second behind world champion Blues Girl Too in the Champion of Champions on Dec. 15. He earned that Champion of Champions invitation with a 32-1 upset win in the Los Alamitos Super Derby over No Secrets Here and Ten Oclock Scholar.

Strong fields for Hobbs trials

The strongest fields ever for the Grade 2 Hobbs America Futurity and the Grade 2 Hobbs America Derby could be assembled in the trials on Saturday and Sunday afternoon at Zia Park. The finals for each race will be held Oct. 12.

Saturday's trials to the $240,000 Hobbs America Futurity attracted Grade 1, $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity winner Jess Significant. She won the Ruidoso Futurity by three-quarters of a length and was the high-placing filly in the Grade 1, $1.9 million All American Futurity, with her fifth-place effort.

Jess Significant is in the fifth of five trials.

The first of three Hobbs America Derby trials on Sunday pits Grade 1, $1,066,000 All American Derby winner Noconi against two-time Grade 1 derby winner DMNV Mountable.

Noconi was second in last year's Hobbs America Futurity and then raced to third-place finishes in the Grade 1 Ruidoso and Rainbow derbies before his All American Derby win over champion Heartswideopen.

Last spring, DMNV Mountable dominated the Grade 1 Remington Park Derby and prevailed by a game head in the Grade 1 Heritage Place Derby at Remington Park. In his only New Mexico start, he was a troubled eighth as the favorite in his All American Derby trial.

Ketel Won heading to Texas

Ketel Won, the 2007 champion aged horse and champion aged stallion, has been shipped to Lone Star Park and will make his next start in the Grade 1, $100,000 Refrigerator Handicap on Oct. 4.

The winner of the Refrigerator Handicap earns a berth in the Grade 1, $1 million Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos on Dec. 13.

Ketel Won earned his championship titles after capturing the Grade 1, $175,000 Zia Park Championship and the Grade 1, $400,000 The Championship at Sunland Park in his final two 2007 starts.

In his only 2008 start, Ketel Won dominated the All American Gold Cup by 1 1/2 lengths at Ruidoso Downs on Aug. 30.