Chi Chi Time overcomes wild start to win River Rock Stakes

A few days before the River Rock Casino Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong dirt tilt for fillies and mares with a $40,000 purse, trainer Pat Jarvis told Daily Racing Form that her 3-year-old entrant, Chi Chi Time, had been "a challenge" to school.

Chi Chi Time's challenging nature was on full display at the start of Saturday's River Rock at Hastings. She reared up and bucked in the gate, and when it opened, she made a beeline for the white pickup truck that tows the gate apparatus. At that point, one could have been forgiven for thinking she was more intent on jumping into its flatbed than completing the task at hand. But somehow, soothsaying jockey Kuri Powell set her straight.

The filly, who earned a field-best Beyer Speed Figure of 80 in winning her debut at the same distance by 12 lengths on May 31, was 4-5 on the morning line but got bet down to 1-9 by post time. Going a quarter in 22.75 seconds Saturday, she led by a neck in what would turn out to be a two-horse duel with I'm in Control.

Chi Chi Time ($2.10) would not relinquish that lead, beating I'm in Control by 1 1/2 lengths, with another 6 1/2 back to third-place finisher Zenari, who's Chi Chi Time's stablemate. The winning time was 1:17.01 on a fast track.

Ross McLeod Stakes

Steve Henson had the heavy 2-5 favorite, Mount Doom, entered in the Ross McLeod stakes, but one suspects he was pleased to see that 3-year-old gelding come in second in the $40,000 sprint to Rondelito.

Henson trains both horses, but he and his wife Lorie own Rondelito, who paid $18 to win by half a length, outright. Rondelito's 6 1/2-furlong trip was a ground-saving one, while Mount Doom flailed around a bit to his outside, which likely cost him a sixth straight victory. The winning time was 1:16.77.

The Henson duo are both sophomores who will undoubtedly be put on a path to September's Grade 3 BC Derby. If horses could talk, one would talk smack.