INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Rhythm Mad won his first stakes race Saturday, defeating Continental Red by a neck in the $350,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap.

The race was part of a $650,000 stakes tripleheader at Hollywood Park.

Only two of the field's seven horses -- Ballingarry and Runaway Dancer -- had won graded stakes races in the United States in the last year. Rhythm Mad came close, finishing second in the San Juan Capistrano Handicap on the turf at Santa Anita in April.

That was Rhythm Mad's American debut for trainer Bruce Headley, who is a co-owner of the 4-year-old dark brown colt bred in France.

Ridden by Alex Solis, Rhythm Mad covered 1 1/2 miles on the turf in 2:26.73 and paid $5.40, $3.40 and $2.80 as the 8-5 wagering favorite.

It was the first Murray win for Headley and Solis.

"We were expecting a win. Hell of a stretch run,'' Headley said. "He was trapped a little bit last time (at Santa Anita) and had to check at the head of the stretch. This time he had clear sailing.''

Continental Red returned $4.60 and $3.40, while Bobby Frankel-trained Gassan Royal was another half-length back in third and paid $3.20 to show. Frankel was seeking his seventh win in the Murray. He trained Denon to a second-place finish last year.

Ballingarry, who finished third last year, was fourth.

Right Proof led most of the way on a slow pace until Rhythm Mad made a move on the far outside in the stretch and held on under Solis' left-handed whip.

"It might sound crazy, but I feel he was a little dull,'' Solis said. "He is capable of doing more. He's a good horse. God willing, he stays sound, and I think he's going to be a heck of a good horse at the end of the year.''

Owner Jess Stonestreet Jackson Jr. found out about Rhythm Mad through bloodstock agent Emmanuel De Seroux, the husband of Laura De Seroux, who trains Ballingarry. Jackson saw a tape of Rhythm Mad and bought him in a partnership. He was rooting for his horse and Ballingarry.

"We were hoping for one and two,'' said Jackson, who owns Kendall-Jackson Winery in Northern California. "We are going to go up and toast him with Kendall Jackson now.''

This year's purse was reduced by $50,000 in the race named for the late Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times.

In the $150,000 Los Angeles Times Handicap, Pohave edged stablemate Marino Marini by one length to give trainer Doug O'Neil a sweep of the top two spots.

Ridden by Jon Court, Pohave covered six furlongs in 1:08.12 and paid $10.60, $5 and $3.60. Marino Marini, the 5-2 favorite, returned $4 and $3.20. Defending champion Hombre Rapido finished sixth in the nine-horse field. It was his first race since last year's win.

Even the Score won the $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap.

Ridden by David Flores, Even the Score covered 1 1-16 miles in 1:40.81 and paid $12, $6 and $5. Ender's Shadow returned $15.20 and $7.60, and Total Impact, last year's winner, paid $4.20 to show.