DEL MAR, Calif. - Amidst cheers befitting the finish of a major stakes, Patrick Valenzuela edged Julie Krone by a nose in a $50,000 match race on Sunday at Del Mar in a showdown between the track's top riders.

Riding Chester's Choice, Valenzuela turned a deficit of 2 1/2 lengths at the eighth pole into a nose victory over Krone and Woke Up Dreamin in a race over 1 1-16 miles.

"My main concern was getting my horse to finish," Valenzuela said. "I was hoping the other horse could get tired. My horse kept his long stride going."

ELMONT, N.Y. - Before this weekend, Peter Minikes' Georgica Stable had never registered a graded stakes victory. In a 24-hour period, the stable captured two Grade 1 races at Belmont Park.

One-day after Buy the Sport pulled a stunning upset in the Grade 1 Gazelle Handicap for 3-year-old fillies on dirt, Indy Five Hundred rallied from last to knock off 7-10 favorite Dimitrova in the Grade 1, $250,000 for 3-year-old fillies on turf.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Heyahohowdy ($6.10) held off favored Carib Lady in the drive to notch her second consecutive stakes Sunday at Woodbine in the $109,000 Flaming Page.

Heyahohowdy battled on the lead with Carib Lady and Five Fishes in the turf marathon for fillies and mares. She assumed a slim lead on the far turn, and kept on going to post a three-quarter length victory under Ray Sabourin.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Fairly Ransom arrived from France in late spring with Saturday's $300,000 Del Mar Derby as a long-term goal.

With the benefit of two prep races over the course for experience, Fairly Ransom ran his best race in the Grade 2 , setting a stakes record of 1:46.45 for 1 1-8 miles on a firm turf course.

After the race, trainer Ron McAnally said Fairly Ransom will be pointed for the $600,000 Hollywood Derby over 1 1-4 miles on Nov. 30. The opposition has been warned.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Refreshed from a two-month vacation away from the races, Mineshaft picked up right where he left off Saturday as he dominated four rivals in the Grade 1, $500,000 , winning by 4 1/4 lengths before 13,108 at Belmont Park.

Hold That Tiger, third in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, finished second, 4 3/4 lengths ahead of Puzzlement. Northern Rock and Thompson Rouge completed the order of finish.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Don'tsellmeshort ran the best race of his career when he scored a three-length win in the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar on July 30.

It was enough for owner Cecil Peacock and trainer Dan Hendricks to think about trying a graded stakes at this meeting - the Best Pal on Aug. 17, or Wednesday's Del Mar Futurity. But instead they are taking a more conservative route, starting Don'tsellmeshort in Monday's $100,000 I'm Smokin Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Buy the Sport, a New York-bred filly who had been running in Europe, made a smashing homecoming Saturday while racing for new connections as she pulled a stunning upset in the Grade 1, $250,000 for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.

After racing on the lead early, Buy the Sport was fourth at the quarter pole, but re-rallied in the stretch under Pat Day to run down favored Lady Tak and win by a half-length. Lady Tak held off Spoken Fur by a nose for second. It was 8 1/4 lengths back to Alabama winner Island Fashion in fourth.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Lunar Sovereign's affinity for Belmont Park's turf course was not in doubt when he ran in Saturday's $500,000 . The question was his ability to compete with Grade 1 horses. Lunar Sovereign answered emphatically by winning the Grade 1 Man o' War by 2 3/4 lengths.

Under Richard Migliore, Lunar Sovereign swept by pacesetter Balto Star in upper stretch and was never threatened during the stretch run of the 1 3/8-mile grass race. Slew Valley finished second, a neck in front of the 7-5 favorite, Denon.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The $250,000 Del Mar Futurity on Wednesday may have only five starters after trainer Ray Bell on Saturday said he was leaning toward starting Capitano in the $150,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity at Arlington Park on Sept. 27

Bell said he was happy with Capitano's five-furlong workout in 1:02.80 on Saturday at Santa Anita, but is more interested in the Arlington-Washington Futurity distance of one mile rather than the seven-furlong distance of the Del Mar Futurity.

"If I had to lean one way, that's what I'll probably do," he said.

You only get one chance to make a first impression, and Ryan Fogelsonger made the most of his on Saturday. In his first mount in Southern California, Fogelsonger rode the 6-1 shot Dream Weekend to a half-length victory in Del Mar's first race.