ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored El Ruller ($3) turned back a serious challenge from outsider Skeet to take the $134,375 Victoria Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths at Woodbine.

El Ruller broke on top and set quick fractions over a sloppy track in the five-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds. Skeet pressed the pace along the rail, but El Ruller drew off in the final furlong, and covered the distance in 58.29 seconds.

"He's a very mature horse," said Ray Sabourin, who rode El Ruller. "He had [Skeet] measured the whole way."

Grundlefoot ($5) blew past even-money favorite Private Ryan, the early pacesetter, with a quarter-mile remaining and held off a late charge by Lyracist to prevail by three-quarters of a length in the $100,000 Baltimore Breeders' Cup Handicap at Pimlico. Private Ryan finished third.

The 5-year-old Grundlefoot, trained by Gary Capuano, is now

4 for 8 lifetime at Pimlico. He covered 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:49.65.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Tempest Fugit ($3.80) gave rookie trainer Jason Servis his first win of the Monmouth meet and his first career stakes win in the off-the-turf $100,000 Oceanport Handicap.

Trainer Don Reeder had the option of running True Passion in a four-other-than allowance race at Monmouth Park or a six-figure stakes at Delaware Park.

Fortunately for Reeder, he made the right move by choosing the $100,900 Wilmington Handicap.

True Passion ($12.80) wired a quality field of older sprinters by 2 1/2 lengths in his stakes debut, covering six furlongs over a wet-fast track in 1:09.81.

True Passion, who began the year racing in nonwinners-of-three lifetime claiming events, has now won five straight races.

MIAMI - Rain or shine, turf or dirt, Cellars Shiraz is the top

3-year-old filly in south Florida. She proved that by splashing to an easy nine-length victory over Four Pennies and four other outclassed rivals in the $100,000 Office Queen Stakes at Calder Race Course.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Seeking Daylight, who missed his entire 3-year-old campaign recovering from a broken leg, began to make up for lost time Saturday when he romped to an

8 1/4-length victory in the Grade 2, $250,000 before 6,306 at Belmont Park.

Country Be Gold, a 23-1 shot, rallied from last to get second by a neck over 40-1 shot Griffinite. It was another half-length back to 6-5 favorite E Dubai.

ALTOONA, Iowa - In a race that featured several troubled trips, Hi Tech Honeycomb and jockey Sidney Lejeune Jr. rallied to a widening 3 1/4-length victory in Friday night's $60,000 Panthers Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Prairie Meadows.

Hi Tech Honeycomb ($9.20) settled in midpack early before moving up from between horses to challenge for command briefly on the backstretch.

She remained within range four-wide on the second turn before taking the lead in midstretch. Hi Tech Honeycomb covered the mile in 1:37.46.

CALGARY, Alberta - Brass to Diamonds has been knocking on the door in stakes this spring and has a golden opportunity to enter the charmed circle in Sunday's $40,000 closing-day feature, the 1 1/16-mile Penny Ridge for 3-year-old fillies.

Brass to Diamonds, champion of her local division last year, was a closing second this spring to Fancy Prancer in the six-furlong Mount Royal and came from last in the one-mile Lilac to finish third behind Sweet Monarch and a tiring Fancy Prancer, who are not in Sunday's lineup.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - It's hard to predict which 3-year-old filly will be favored in the 1 1/16-mile Liberation Stakes Sunday at Hastings Park. Seven of the nine horses in the race are stretching out for the first time, and the two horses with the best form this year - Classic Action and Elana D'Amour - drew disadvantageous outside post positions.

AUBURN, Wash. - I'madrifter has arrived from California to take on seven local stars in Sunday's one-mile, $75,000 Budweiser Emerald Handicap at Emerald Downs.

I'madrifter, a 4-year-old son of Slewdledo who races for owner Dan O'Neill, arrived here Thursday night with trainer Steve Specht. The bay colt was resting in trainer Junior Coffey's barn on Friday morning, and Specht planned to take him to the track for light exercise on Saturday before racing him on Sunday.