Journey Fever Wins Whitworth Debutante

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Justin and Stefanie Carroll's Journey Fever outlasted Defuhr for a one-length victory in the $100,000 Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante at Hawthorne on Saturday.

The two-year-old filly, who covered the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:43.29, earned her second career win for trainer Brian Williamson and jockey Iram Diego.

Defuhr set the early fractions with jockey Chris Emigh aboard, breaking sharply from the inside and carving out the quarter in :23 3/5 and the half in :47 1/5. Turning for home, Defuhr was still a length in front, covering the three-quarters of a mile in 1:11 4/5.

Journey Fever powered into contention at the top of the stretch. And it soon became a two-horse affair between Defuhr and Journey Fever moving to her outside. Zitlaly was 10 ¾ lengths behind those two while finishing third.

For the win, Journey Fever returned $7.00, $4.20, and $3.20. Defuhr came back $4.80 and $3.60. Zitlaly returned $7.60 to show.

Williamson and Diego, who picked up the mount five days ago after working her, each collected their initial stakes win.

(Chart, Equibase)

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