Get A Hunch, Bet A Bunch

Jockey Vince Ward, a computer whiz who has spent most of the winter working in a Yakima electronics shop, has been saddling up, now and then, to ride in stakes race.

Ward will be on the scene today to ride Emerald Downs invaders Ducking the Issue in the Prima Donna Handicap, a sprint for fillies. Despite a suspicious drop to $2,500 claiming two starts back, she won her last for four times that. And that, as they say, is good enough for us.

Local races also include a stakes race for Arabian horses - wouldn’t you like a horse that runs forwardly at Los Alamitos? - and an allowance sprint for 3-year-olds that should develop a stakes contender or two.

Here are today’s selections:

FIRST: $5 daily doubles pairing UNO PAW PAW and CAP GUNNER with GEM STONE BABY ($10).

THIRD: $10 to win on MUDDY DIPLOMAT and $5 quinellas pairing him with BENNYCOUSIN JENNY and Rc PLAYING HOOKIE ($10).

FOURTH: $10 to win on TROODON TILLY. Parlay any winnings to DUCKING THE ISSUE in the seventh.

SIXTH: $20 to win on SAUCY SAM and $5 quinellas pairing him with TWO AN OH and FOOT RACE.

EIGHTH: $5 to win on CHAR’S DOLLAR and $5 exactas pairing her with INITIAL MELODY and ONE SOCK CHALK ($10).

Original bankroll: $2,000.

Friday’s result: +$6.30.

Present bankroll:$2,156.70.

, DataTimes