In front of a record crowd estimated at 17,000 by track officials, Up 'n Blumin lived up to her 2-5 favoritism in defense of her title with a 1 3/4-length win in the $28,800 Falls Amiss Handicap at Horsemen's Park.

With R. D. Williams aboard, Up 'n Blumin was content to follow the early pace, made her move going to the final turn of the one-mile race, and drew clear under a confident ride, getting the distance in 1:40.20.

For Up 'n Blumin, trained by Kelly Von Hemel, it was her fifth stakes win of the year and moved her career record to 12-4-0 from 18 starts.

A malfunction that left half the field momentarily stranded in the starting gate while the other six horses broke cleanly forced River Downs to declare its $100,000 stakes feature "no contest" on Saturday.

All wagers on the Queen City Oaks were refunded after the stewards conducted an inquiry, and no purse money was paid out.

A severe storm hit Fairmount Park mid-morning Friday, knocking out power to the racetrack and forcing the cancellation of simulcasting and Friday's live card, which was scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Power was restored early Saturday, and Fairmount's operation was back to normal for Saturday's race day.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - With a pair of $1 million races this summer, Colonial Downs figured to be a hotbed for 3-year-old grass horses. But who figured that the John Marshall, a $60,000 stakes restricted to Virginia-breds, would produce the winner of the American Derby?

But that is exactly the race in which Union Avenue made his most recent start, and Saturday at Arlington, facing 13 rivals in the Grade 2, $250,000 , Union Avenue won again, paying $49.60 to win - a startling price for a horse trained by Bill Mott, who won this race last year with Gun Salute.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Cosmonaut's unexpected early pace won the on Saturday at Arlington.

Cosmonaut's was a minor sort of upset. At a win price of $10.40 he beat the big three in the $200,000 Arlington Handicap. The favored Red Fort finished fourth, second-choice Rush Bay was a distant fifth of six, and Artiste Royal wound up third, with 29-1 shot Load a Chronic a fast-closing second.

MUSKEGON, Mich. - Its His Time, winner of the June 19 Wolverine Stakes, will face nine Michigan-bred rivals in Tuesday evening's $50,000 Michigan Breeders' Cup at Great Lakes Downs.

The handicap, at 1 1/16 miles, is the fifth race on a nine-race card that begins at 5:10 p.m. Eastern.

Its His Time, owned by the Volar Corporation and trained by Ronnie Allen, has won both of his starts this year at Great Lakes. He recently ventured to Mountaineer Park, where he finished third, beaten a length, in an allowance race.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Miss Mary Pat put in a determined stretch bid to overtake Waterloo Slew and win the $65,000 Silver Spur Breeders' Cup by a half-length at Lone Star Park on Saturday.

"She's got a lot of grit and guts to her," said Quincy Hamilton, who rode Miss Mary Pat. "She's a nice filly."

The win was the third straight for Miss Mary Pat, a 2-year-old who earlier in the meet won a trial race and its finale, the $111,000 fillies division of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity.

DEL MAR, Calif. - One extra furlong is one reason why the top turf milers in California - Aragorn and Silent Name - might be considered vulnerable Sunday in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Handicap at Del Mar.

A solid field of seven entered the $400,000 Read, including last year's one-two finishers are expected to be the top betting choices.

The distance is a concern, admitted Silent Name's trainer, Gary Mandella. "I wouldn't do it except that he's gotten very relaxed [in workouts]," he said. "Now is the time to try."

DEL MAR, Calif. - The eighth race at Santa Anita on April 21 was a sleepy maiden claimer for California-bred 3-year-old fillies. At least that's the way it seemed at the time.

It turns out a claim from that race may be the highlight of trainer Rafael Becerra's season. Acting on behalf of a partnership, he claimed the winner, Getback Time, for $40,000. She has not lost since.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Seven horses were vanned off in the first two days of racing at Del Mar and an eighth was injured while galloping Friday, causing concern among horsemen and prompting track officials to call a meeting on Saturday to discuss the track surface.

Two of the seven horses vanned off on Wednesday and Thursday were euthanized as a result of injuries: Blazing Sunset, who was pulled up in the stretch of a division of the Oceanside Stakes on turf Wednesday, and Ugotadowhatugotado, who was pulled up on the backstretch of a $16,000 dirt claimer on Thursday.