Jim Murray Memorial

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[Ire]) was scratched on Friday, and Macduff (GB) (Machiavellian) was withdrawn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."