INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Congaree made a successful return to racing Sunday, winning the Swaps Stakes in a leisurely pace to give trainer Bob Baffert back-to-back victories in the $500,000 race.

	Congaree (right) was ridden for the first time by Gary Stevens.

Making his first start since finishing third in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Preakness, Congaree covered 1 1-8 miles in 1:48 3-5 and beat Until Sundown by four lengths at Hollywood Park.

"He's quite a horse and he showed it today," Baffert said. "This is one of his best races. He had it all his own way and that really helped. When horses like that have their own way, they last longer."

Baffert joined Hall of Famers Laz Barrera, Charlie Whittingham and D. Wayne Lukas as the only trainers to win the Swaps in consecutive years. Baffert won last year with Captain Steve, who beat horse of the year Tiznow by 2 1/2 lengths.

Congaree paid $2.20, $2.10 and $2.10 as the 1-5 wagering favorite. Until Sundown returned $2.80 and $2.10, and Jamaican Rum was another three-fourths of a length back and paid $2.10 to show.

Top Hit was fourth, followed by Bayou the Moon and Hoovergetthekeys in the field of six 3-year-olds.

Jamaican Rum made his first start on dirt since finishing sixth in the Kentucky Derby.

"He felt great, but nobody was going to beat the winner," jockey Eddie Delahoussaye said.

Ridden for the first time by Gary Stevens and carrying 122 pounds, Congaree moved quickly to the lead with Until Sundown, then went in front for good at the clubhouse turn.

"We got a very comfortable first three-quarters of a mile, the winner and I," said Chris McCarron, aboard Until Sundown. "But when the real running started as the half-mile pole, Congaree was best."

Congaree covered the opening quarter in 25 seconds and the half-mile in 49 1-5 seconds.

"I don't think he's ever gone that slow early," Stevens said. "He was very professional, very relaxed throughout the post parade and throughout the race. He was smokin' the last part, but he should have been."

It was Congaree's first career victory in a Grade I race. The winner's share of $300,000 increased the colt's earnings to $997,400, with four wins in six starts.

"He's a special horse," said Bob McNair, who along with wife Janice, owns Congaree as part of Stonerside Stable.

We knew he had great speed. The question was had he learned to relax? Today he did," said McNair, who owns the new NFL team in Houston that begins play in 2002.

Congaree wore blinkers again after not using them in the Preakness.

I put them on just to keep him focused so he didn't see anything from behind," Baffert said.

Baffert plans to ship both Congaree and Point Given, his other stellar 3-year-old, to Del Mar, which opens Wednesday. From there, Baffert will decide where each of them will run this summer. He didn't rule out a head-to-head matchup of the stablemates.

"We're not going to rush any of them," he said. It's like the bullpen, whatever pitcher is warmed up is going in."