Texas Chili wins Whiting at Pleasanton

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Texas Chili ($22.80), last down the backstretch, rallied wide on the turn and put on a strong kick down the lane to beat Trickey Trevor by one length to win the $50,900 Sam J. Whiting Handicap at the Alameda County Fair on Saturday.

Presidio Heights was the early leader, setting fractions of 21.17 and 43.42, but he gave way readily when challenged in the lane by Trickey Trevor.

Trickey Trevor began to open up, but Texas Chili came flying wide and was up to win the six-furlong race in 1:08.18 in what winning jockey Chance Rollins called a "perfect trip."

Texas Chili, second in the Whiting last year, earned $27,600 for his stakes victory for owner-breeder-trainer William J. Morey Jr. He has won six of 15 starts with career earnings of $183,085.

"It was very exciting for me, the way the track has been playing with the speed factor," Morey said. "I told Chance to win it late and win it wide."

Morey's son, William E. Morey, saddled runner-up Trickey Trevor, a $50,000 claim in his last race, who was three-quarters of a length in front of third-place finisher Radar Contact.