Grey Swallow (Ire), winner of the 2004 Irish Derby (Ire-G1), made his United States debut a winning one on Saturday as he resolutely powered to a five-length romp in the $250,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap (G2) at Hollywood Park. Trained by co-owner Dermot Weld, the five-year-old gray or roan Daylami (Ire) horse stalked a leisurely pace within two lengths of Brecon Beacon (GB), who towed the field through six furlongs in 1:17.07. On the final turn of the 1 1/2-mile turf race, jockey Alex Solis asked Grey Swallow to pick up the pace and the 3-to-5 favorite willingly responded.

With a visually impressive turn of foot, Grey Swallow swept past Brecon Beacon leaving the turn and surged swiftly clear in the stretch, widening his advantage to the wire.

"He`s an ex-champion of Ireland � joint champion three-year-old and [Irish] Derby (Ire-G1) winner," said Weld, whose mother is co-owner of Grey Swallow. "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."

Grey Swallow, lightly raced in Europe due to bleeding problems, completed the trip in 2:27.33 over firm turf.

A dual Group 1 winner in Ireland, Grey Swallow arrived in the United States on May 1 and proved capable of quickly acclimating to a new environment with a convincing score.

Brecon Beacon dug in gamely to hold off 2005 Jim Murray victor Runaway Dancer by one length.

Grey Swallow, who became the 11th imported horse to win the Jim Murray Memorial Handicap in the past 15 years, improved to six victories from 13 career starts and boosted his bankroll to $1,567,293 with the win.

Bred in Ireland by Weld`s mother, Mrs. C. L. Weld, Grey Swallow is out of Style of Life, by The Minstrel.

Thoroughbred Times