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Grey Swallow takes flight in Jim Murray
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Grey Swallow made a successful U.S. debut
(Benoit Photo) |
Irish invader GREY SWALLOW (Ire) (Daylami [Ire]) had a lofty reputation to
uphold as the 3-5 favorite in Saturday's $250,000
Jim
Murray Memorial H. (G2), and the Dermot Weld charge more than lived up to
his billing by drawing off to a five-length victory beneath Alex Solis. Making
his first start in the United States as well as his 2006 bow, the five-year-old
gray finished 1 1/2 miles on Hollywood Park's firm turf in 2:27 1/5.Grey Swallow secured an ideal stalking trip, poised just off the flank of the
pacesetting Brecon Beacon (GB) (Spectrum) through slow splits of :25 4/5, :51
2/5, 1:17, 1:41 1/5 and 2:04 1/5. Leaving the far turn, Solis asked his mount to
go, and the response was instantaneous as Grey Swallow lengthened stride
beautifully and asserted his supremacy over the outclassed field. Brecon Beacon
clung on grimly for second, holding off defending Jim Murray winner Runaway
Dancer (Runaway Groom) by a length. Golden Rahy (Rahy) and One Off (GB) (Barathea
[Ire]) rounded out the order of finish. King's Drama (Ire) (King's Theatre
[Ire]) was scratched on Friday, and Macduff (GB) (Machiavellian) was withdrawn
on race day.
"He's an ex-champion of Ireland," Weld said. "He was a Group 1 winner last
year, and it's nice to see him come back and do it the way you would expect him
to. I thought he'd win. That's why he is here. You need luck, you need
everything going your way -- I don't take anything for granted. But the horse is
right, he traveled well and he worked well here on Sunday. I expected him to do
what he did."
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The winner returned $3.20, $2.60 and $2.10, while the 7-1 Brecon Beacon
yielded $4.60 and $2.80, and Runaway Dancer gave back $2.40 at odds of nearly
7-1. The $1 exotics were worth $7.10 (exacta) and $21.70 (3-2-6 trifecta).
Out of the winning Style of Life (The Minstrel), Grey Swallow is a
half-brother to 2005 International S. (Ire-G3) victress Moonlight Dance (Sinndar).
This is the family of 1999 Gran Criterium (Ity-G1) winner Night Style (Night
Shift), 2004 American Derby (G2) winner Simple Exchange (Ire) (Danehill), 2004
Matchmaker S. (G3) winner Where We Left Off (GB) (Dr. Devious [Ire]) and
multiple Group 3 winner Sights on Gold (Indian Ridge).
Bred by the trainer's mother, Mrs. C. L. Weld, in Ireland, Grey Swallow is
currently owned by Weld and Vega Fze. He has compiled a 13-6-0-1 record with a
bankroll of $1,567,293. Previous stakes victories on his resume include the 2004
Irish Derby (Ire-G1) and 2005 Tattersalls Gold Cup S. (Ire-G1). As a juvenile,
the gray colt was ranked as the highweight in his native land after capturing
the Killavullen S. (Ire-G3).
Plans call for Grey Swallow to continue his American campaign in the June 10
Manhattan H. (G1) at Belmont Park.
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