Slow Pace Endearing to During

Before watching the $400,000 Swaps Stakes on Sunday at Hollywood Park, owner James McIngvale spent some quality time with one of his bobble-head dolls.

“He said he touched [jockey] Jerry Bailey’ s bobble-head for luck,” said Bob Baffert, who trains for McIngvale, a furniture magnate based in Houston.

Whatever works. During, an 8-1 shot ridden by Bailey and purchased by Baffert for McIngvale for $350,000 as a yearling, upset favored Ten Most Wanted to win the Grade II.

During, seventh in his only other appearance in a graded stakes this spring in the Bay Shore at Aqueduct, was able to set a very slow pace. He looked beaten when both Ten Most Wanted, the 3-5 choice, and 19-10 second choice Eye Of The Tiger got in front of him at the top of the stretch, but he rallied again and prevailed by a head.

The win was Baffert’s third in the Swaps in the last four years -- he won with favorites Captain Steve and Congaree in 2000 and 2001. The 3-year-old son of Cherokee Run ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.38. The final time was the slowest in the race since it was shortened from 1 1/4 miles in 1995.

It was the third win in eight starts for During, but his first in four races since a March 12 victory at Santa Anita and his first beyond a mile.

“He liked the pace [48.18 for the first four furlongs] and he likes this track,” Baffert said. “I think that’s a big thing about this track. Horses either love it or hate it. He fought back and showed some determination.”

Bailey, who last won the Swaps with the Wayne Lukas-trained Victory Speech in 1996, was surprised at how During responded when challenged.

“He had an easy first half mile and I had enough left to kick ‘em off,” said the country’s most successful rider in terms of money won this year. “When Ten Most Wanted got by me, I thought he’d probably open up a length, knowing who it was, but he seemed to ease up a little bit.

“This colt dug back in and that’s what it took. I really was surprised that he would be that game to fight back and win like that.”

Favored primarily on the strength of his runner-up try behind Empire Maker in the Belmont Stakes five weeks earlier, Ten Most Wanted, who spotted the winner seven pounds (122-115) was his own worst enemy.

At least, that was what trainer Wally Dollase believed after talking to jockey Pat Day.

“He got to the lead and he hesitated,” Dollase said. “He’d done it before. Why he does that I don’t know. He saw all the people [in the grandstand] and his ears went up and he just backed down.

“Day said he was capable of winning, but didn’t want to win. I think we’ll still go to the Travers,” on Aug. 23 at Saratoga and another likely meeting with Empire Maker and Funny Cide.

An easy winner of the Affirmed Handicap in his Hollywood Park debut June 22, Eye Of The Tiger finished in a dead heat with Outta Here for third, three-quarters of a length behind Ten Most Wanted. Bullistic and Logician, who was coupled with the favorite, completed the order of finish. Blazonry was scratched earlier in the day.

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Cee’s Elegance ($21.40) surprised You and Affluent to win the $250,000 A Gleam Invitational Handicap, the first of Sunday’s three graded stakes.

A 6-year-old, California-bred daughter of Cee’s Tizzy, Cee’s Elegance beat You, the 6-5 favorite, by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:21.47 for the seven furlongs. Victor Espinoza rode for the Cees Stable and trainer Doug O’Neill.