Plug Me In captures Hinds Handicap

POMONA, Calif. - The $121,250 Ralph M. Hinds Handicap was not pretty. Fairplex Park horse-for-course Plug Me In won the richest race of the Los Angeles County Fair race meet on Sunday, by a one length over Courtly Jazz, while odds-on favorite Raise the Bluff struggled home a dull third.

It appeared that the entire field struggled; at the top of the lane all six runners were in contention. But they could not catch Plug Me In, who was racing at Fairplex for the first time since winning the Derby Trial last September. Owned by Everest Stables and trained by Marcelo Polanco, Plug Me In was ridden by Alonso Quinonez and returned $9.60 as the second choice.

The final time of the "about" 1 1/8-mile race was a tepid 1:51.31, run over a fast track that had been slowed by weekend rain. The win was the fourth in 21 starts for Plug Me In, a 4-year-old gelding who was dropping in class after a third-place finish in a minor stakes at Del Mar that was won by Wanna Runner. The Hinds field was weakened when Bravo Maestro and Railroad both scratched.

* Wind Water ($10.60) raced gate to wire in the $65,000 Governor's Cup Handicap for sprinters. Aaron Gryder rode the 5-yeard-old gelding for trainer Jeff Mullins. It was the 12th win in 37 starts for Wind Water. The 9-5 favorite Men Only finished seventh.