Ancient Ruler won his stakes debut in Saturday's $474,000 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Futurity for 2-year-old Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos.

Ancient Ruler ($21) ran 350 yards in 17.49 seconds under jockey Cesar De Alba, finishing a neck in front of Tailgunner Tom.

Valley Loot probably claimed the Michigan horse of the year title Saturday when she won the 3-year-old filly division of the Michigan Sire Stakes at Great Lakes Downs. The six races, for the progeny of Michigan sires, were each worth approximately $125,000.

Valley Loot ($2.80) won her fifth race and fourth stakes of the year under jockey Mike Allen for trainer Ronnie Allen. She put up a time of 1:49.90 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Valid Lil rolled to a 3 1/4-length win in Saturday's $45,000 New Braunfels at Retama Park. Fresa Margarita closed for second, while it was another length back to Gleaming Elegance.

Valid Lil ($4.40), ridden by Bobby Walker Jr. for trainer Bret Calhoun, covered the six furlongs for fillies and mares in 1:09.85 in winning her first stakes.

Cryptoquip returned to her old form Saturday, winning the $100,000 Best of Ohio Distaff at Beulah Park. Under jockey John McKee, Cryptoquip got through on the inside of pacesetting Pay the Man and drew off to win by 7 1/2 lengths over Bright Pyrite in the 1 1/8-mile event, with Pay the Man holding third.

Cryptoquip had won only once in six starts since winning the Arlington Park Breeders' Cup Oaks last August. Trained by Graham Motion, Cryptoquip ($10.20) ran the distance in 1.50.32.

Famous Gal and Against the Law made Turf Paradise's $45,000 Ahwatukee Express on Saturday a worthy renewal of their rivalry, with Famous Gal prevailing in the six-furlong event for 3-year-old fillies. Famous Gal, ridden by Juan Rivera for trainer Joe Johnson, rebuffed numerous challenges by Against the Law to win by a half-length. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to Wine Tasting Room in third in the field of eight.

Famous Gal ($6.60) ran the distance in 1:09.80.

Private Banking ($5.80) took advantage of a scary incident as she closed strongly to win the $75,000 Autumn Leaves Handicap at Bay Meadows on Saturday.

The victory came after Gallant Charmer clipped heels with Rockella and nearly fell as she veered outward and bumped solidly into Live Life. She stayed on her feet, and jockey Carlos Silva remained in the saddle, but she left a clear path for Private Banking to make a move into the lane from just outside North Beach.

Last early in the Grade 2, $510,600 Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park, Zanjero steadily advanced up the rail under jockey Robby Albarado and was fifth at the top of the stretch. Steered off the rail by Albarado for running room, Zanjero easily put away pacesetting Flashstorm with a furlong to go and drew off to win by 3 1/2 lengths over Bwana Bull. Flashstorm was third, 2 3/4 lengths behind.

Zanjero, trained by Steve Asmussen, paid $5.40 as the favorite and covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.95 over a fast track.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Dancing Allstar cruised to a 6 3/4-length win over My Special Angel in the $107,462 Sadie Diamond Futurity at Hastings on Sunday.

Sent right to the front by leading rider Mario Gutierrez, Dancing Allstar was never threatened as she widened her margins at every call. She was sent off as the heavy favorite and paid $2.20.

Recent stakes winners Five Steps and Frank the Barber top a field of 10 horses entered Monday for this weekend's Maryland Million Classic at Laurel Park.

The $300,000 Classic is the richest of a 12-race Saturday card restricted to the offspring of Maryland stallions. Overall, 120 horses were entered, including 13 apiece in two of the starter handicaps and the $200,000 Maryland Million Turf.

Five Steps, third in last year's Classic, comes into the 1 3/16-mile race off back-to-back stakes wins at the Meadowlands and Charles Town.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Kiaran McLaughlin's Breeders' Cup bandwagon is filling up.

Two weeks ago, it looked like McLaughlin's only runners for the Breeders' Cup World Championships would be Lear's Princess (Distaff) and Shakespeare (Turf or Mile). But in the last two weeks, big wins by Lahudood in the Flower Bowl on Sept. 29 and Daaher in Sunday's Grade 2 Jerome have expanded McLaughlin's roster.