Mules Black Ruby, Taz Will Meet Friday

For the first time, mules will share the track with quarter horses, Arabians and thoroughbreds on Friday.

The main mule event is a match race between Black Ruby and Taz, the longtime rivals, and a lot more often than not, Taz has played Alydar to Black Ruby’s Affirmed. Black Ruby beat Taz in match races at Del Mar and Fairplex Park last year. The distance of the race is 300 yards.

This evening, Jusred, among the biggest money burners on the grounds, will try for the eighth time to break his maiden in the second race, a $6,250 claimer at 350 yards.

Owned and trained by Blane Schvaneveldt, the gelded son of Red has lost at 7-10, 17-10, 13-10 and 2-1 in four of his last five races. Alex Bautista is back aboard Jusred for the second time. He was the jockey when the California bred was fourth Jan. 30.

The picks: 1. Blue Warrior. 2. Highly Conceited. 3. Eastwell Star. 4. Simonize. 5. Toll Bar. 6. Dash For Apollo. 7. Virbahn. 8. Strawflynfancy. 9. Irish Life.

Four! Single Blue Warrior in the first, all in the second, single the Eastwell Star-Jagre entry in the third and Simonize, Sowing Oats and Montford in the fourth.

Shots in the dark: Faster Than Cash is reunited with jockey Alex Bautista in the fifth. Smoken By You debuts for trainer Connie Hall in the eighth.

Post time: 5:30 p.m.

On the Net: For entries and results from Los Alamitos, visit: www.latimes.com/horseracing/