ARCADIA, Calif. -- Julie Krone became the first female jockey to win a Grade I race at a California track when she brought Debonair Joe from behind to take the Malibu Stakes by a head Thursday at Santa Anita.

The victory by the bay gelding in the $200,000 opening-day feature produced the largest win payoff in the history of the event.

	Debonair Joe and Julie Krone win the Grade I Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita.

At 26-1, Debonair Joe returned $55.60 in the 51st running of the race for 3-year-olds. He also paid $17.20 to place and $9 to show. Bien Host's returned $54.20 to win the Malibu in 1956.

Debonair Joe, a California-bred son of Ole, also teamed with Krone to win the Grade III Vernon O. Underwood Handicap at Hollywood Park on Dec. 7, returning $107.60. That was the first stakes victory for the 39-year-old Krone following her 3 1/2 -year retirement.

Owned by Lynne H. Ristad and trained by Juan Pablo Silva, Debonair Joe came into the stretch five wide in fourth place, but within easy striking distance.

"At the top of the stretch, I think my horse thought to himself, 'Oh, we have them,' '' Krone said. "So he was just coasting along.

"Then when he saw the horse, I just buried my head and was letting him know left-handed. He had a real concept of where the wire was and he laid it on them.''

Debonair Joe carried 119 pounds over seven furlongs in 1:22 2-5.

Total Limit finished second, returning $7.20 and $4.20. American System paid $5.80 to show.

Earlier in the day, Excessivepleasure won the $125,000 California Breeders' Champion Stakes by five lengths over Martinblestme.

Excessivepleasure, ridden by David Flores and carrying 116 pounds, covered seven furlongs in 1:22 3-5 and paid $12.60, $6.60 and $5.

Also, Inesperado won the $78,050 Sir Beaufort Stakes for 3-year-olds by a head over Music's Storm.

Inesperado covered one mile on the turf in 1:35 4-5 under Patrick Valenzuela, and paid $7.40, $4.40 and $3.20.