Booyah connects as longest shot in Hinds

POMONA, Calif. - Booyah fought off a stubborn challenge from Freesgood to win the first stakes of his 17-race career in Sunday's $122,500 Ralph Hinds Invitational Handicap at Fairplex Park.

The Hinds was the richest of four stakes on the card.

Booyah ($39.60) was the longest shot in the field of seven. Ridden by Joe Talamo, Booyah had the early lead, but was headed by Freesgood on the final turn. Racing on the rail, Booyah never trailed by more than a head in early stretch and rallied to prevail by that margin, finishing about 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.94.

Owned by Lathrop Hoffman and trained by Jerry Fanning, Booyah, 4, has won 4 of 17 starts and 167,060. He was 10th in the Brubaker Handicap at Del Mar in August.

Freesgood finished a length in front of Sensational Score. Dixie Meister, the 2-1 favorite, finished fifth.

* Lemon Chiffon launched a wide rally on the final turn that propelled her to an easy win by 5 1/2 lengths in the $99,000 Las Madrinas Handicap.

Ridden by David Flores, Lemon Chiffon was sixth for the first five furlongs before moving closer to the leaders at the end of the backstretch. Sent off favored, Lemon Chiffon ($4.60) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.51.

Swiss Current finished second, a head in front of Dona Amelia in the field of seven older fillies and mares.

The victory ended a streak of three fourth-place finishes in stakes for Lemon Chiffon, who races for Ron Beegle and trainer Sean McCarthy. A 5-year-old mare by Lemon Drop Kid, Lemon Chiffon has won 3 of 7 starts and $136,917.

* Northern Soldier won his first stakes since the 2006 Laz Barrera in the $63,050 Governor's Cup Handicap. Ridden by Aaron Gryder, Northern Soldier ($8.40) ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.42, finishing 1 3-4 lengths in front of My City by the Bay.

Majestic Stream finished third, a head behind My City by the Bay and a head in front of 4-5 favorite Exceeding in the field of six.

* Steelin' ($25.80) pulled an upset in the $65,000 Bangles and Beads Stakes for female sprinters, winning by a length over Masterful Miss and Kalookan Dancer, who finished in a dead heat.

Steelin', who drew in from the also-eligible list following the scratch of Cherie's Dream, ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18.07 under jockey Martin Garcia. Steelin' was second for much of the race before taking the lead from Kalookan Dancer in the final furlong.