Juddmonte's homebred Whitebeam upstaged odds-on favorite In Italian in the final stride to win Saturday's $485,000 Diana Stakes (G1), the first top-level stakes of the Saratoga season, by the slimmest of margins. Her victory marked the eighth win in the race for trainer Chad Brown.
Ridden by Flavian Prat, Whitebeam stalked from third early as In Italian, trying for a second consecutive win in the race, set the tempo. Roused nearing the quarter pole Whitebeam battled for the lead outside of In Italian through the final furlong and surged powerfully nearing the finish line to best that rival by a nose.
Irish-bred Fev Rover, the only runner in the field of five not trained by Brown, finished third, a half length behind In Italian. She is trained by Mark Casse.
Whitebeam, a 4-year-old British-bred daughter of Caravaggio, returned $17.60 after covering the 1 1/8-mile turf test in 1:48.33 while making her Grade 1 debut. She improved to five wins from nine career starts, including her breakthrough stakes victory in the Gallorette (G3) May 20 at Pimlico in her previous start, and boosted her lifetime bankroll to $396,308 with the Diana's winner's share of $275,000.
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