Los Alamitos Saturday Stakes Recap

AJ Born Runnin was a prompt 7-5 favorite in Saturday's $35,000 Denim N Diamonds Stakes for distaffers at Los Alamitos Racecourse.

Trained by Jaime Gomez for owner P & J Racing Ltd., AJ Born Runnin went 350 yards in :17.653 and earned a 93 speed index while defeating Nymphette by a head. Eduardo Nicasio rode the homebred 4-year-old Apollitical Jess mare.

AJ Born Runnin was coming off of a fourth-place finish, two lengths behind winner Patty Saint, in the January 7, 400-yard Charger Bar Stakes (G1) at Los Alamitos. The mare was bred in Texas, and she is out of Runaway Trs Seis, a winning and graded stakes placed daughter of champion Tres Seis and a finalist in the 2011 TQHA Sale Futurity (RG2) at Retama Park.

AJ Born Runnin was winning for the fourth time in 17 races, and the $19,250 winner's share of the purse from her first stakes victory boosted her bankroll to $228,988. The mare was a finalist in the 2022 Los Alamitos Two-Million (G1) and Golden State Million (G1) futurities, and last year's Grade 1 Los Alamitos Oaks.

Also on Saturday, Tena Rena unleashed a late rally to win the 350-yard, $18,000 Connie Hall Stakes for fillies and mares.

Ridden by Victor Salazar and sent to post at odds of 7-1, Tena Rena defeated 3-2 favorite Eye Live For Candy by a head in :17.766. Paul Jones prepped the homebred 4-year-old daughter of champion FDD Dynasty for owner Parsons Ranch.

Tena Rena was bred in California. The sorrel mare is out of Connstantina, a  winning 10-year-old daughter of the Mr Jess Perry stallion Dominyun purchased by Parsons Ranch from breeder Bobby D. Cox for $35,000 at the 2015 Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City. Tena Rena traces back to her third dam, Dashing Phoebe, a daughter of two-time world champion Dash For Cash and the sport's champion 2-year-old filly in '85 and champion sophomore filly the following year.

Raced exclusively in California, Tena Rena has won four of 12 outs, and the $9,900 winner's share of the purse from her first stakes score increased her earnings to $47,305.

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