Cowgirl Callie holds on in Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante

Cowgirl Callie won the $58,325 Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante by a nose over Royal’s Position on Saturday at Hawthorne Racecourse.

Trained by Eddie Essenpreis for Robert and Lynda Esposito, Cowgirl Callie held on desperately under Diego Sanchez to just edge Royal’s Position. The top two were far better than the rest, with Isabellacanetella almost 11 lengths farther behind in third. Odds-on favorite Richie’slilwildcat set an intemperate pace, going 23.12 and 46.89, and faded badly, finishing fifth of six.

Cowgirl Callie ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:47.33 and paid $8.40 to win. The Whitworth is restricted to Illinois-bred 2-year-old fillies. Cowgirl Callie, a homebred, is by Cowboy Cal and out of Fuzzy Kim, by Madraar. A maiden winner in her third start at Arlington this past summer, Cowgirl Callie had finished a close third at Hawthorne in the Showtime Deb Stakes last month, and broke through in her first start around two turns.