Late Rally Decides Illinois Debutante

Lakotadreamcatcher lived up to the name on Saturday at Hawthorne Park, as she came from way out of it to put a head in front at the wire in the $100,000 Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante Stakes. Restricted to Illinois-bred two-year-old fillies, the Debutante was a maiden win for Lakotadreamcatcher, who had failed to get close to the board in four previous tries. Her last time out, going just over a mile in a $25,000 MSW race at Hawthorne she was sixth, beaten eight lengths. Listed at 30-1 in the morning line, she was 14-1 for the race.

Winner benefits from battle up front

Sitting last for most of the first six-furlongs in the 1 1/16 miles run, Lakotadreamcatcher had the benefit of what at times was a three-horse speed duel on the front end, with 6-5 favorite Sasy Ms Elizabeth right in the thick of it. She had come into this off of two straight stakes wins, and hadn’t lost in three overall, after running second in her July debut at Fairmount Park.  This was her first attempt at two turns, however, and not being able to shake her rivals on the front as easily as she would have liked probably cost her in the end.

Favorite couldn't hang on at the wire

After getting some urging to improve her placing approaching the far turn, Lakotadreamcatcher found room on the rail to move past a few others, and then came four wide for a clear shot on the leader down the stretch, wearing down Sasy Ms Elizabeth under steady urging in the shadow of the wire. Tanqueray Miss at 5-1 was third. For trainer Dee Poulos, the win was her first stakes victory since 2006. The winner paid $30.80, the $2 exacta $92.80, and the $2 trifecta returned $373.60.