Word around Bay Meadows is that Roman Chapa, a regular on the leader board at Texas and New Mexico tracks, will be bringing his tack to Northern California for a while. While the jockey enjoys the lucrative status of riding first call for Steve Asmussen in Texas, he apparently wants to give NorCal a crack.
Although his arrival is by no means certain, many trainers seem excited by the prospect. If he does show up, I'd expect him to get live mounts.
--Have you read Dan Illman's report [free subscription required} from the Horseplayers Expo in Las Vegas? He is genuinely excited, dare I say giddy, from hanging with our sport's elite touts, scribblers, & talking heads. This is exactly how I feel when I'm lucky enough to get a little access to those on the inside that I so respect. Here is evidence he is the People's Handicapper--a term he coined for himself (that's SO blogger), but deservedly so. I can't imagine the curmudgeony Watchmaker or the staid Crist, or the bispecticled scholar Paulick having this child like zeal that so many of us regular fans do, much less admitting to it. I feel that way every time I get to talk breed with the horsemen on the backstretch whose names I've been reading in the form for ages. Dan is one of us. Even so, I'm sure he has already experienced the flip side of his adoration of Harvey Pack, and will many more times.
3 comments:
I really don't care to take part in racetrack gossip but since you labled it "Rumor Mill" I have decided to respond with what I have HEARD. Let's keep in mind that this is just GOSSIP....
Roman Chopa allegedly ruled off in NM (currently riding on a judicial stay) for supposed use of an "electrical device". So...moving his tack to CA for the weather or just looking for his next landing spot? I guess we will see!
I didn't see a line item for Chapa on any of the recent New Mexico Racing Commission agendas, but the most recent one up is Jan 17th, so it could be scheduled for the next meeting. But, if he was ruled off and then got a stay of the execution in the courts, I would think there would be some documentation of that, although not necessarily on their website. I bet a phone call to the NM racing commission could clear it up.
http://nmrc.state.nm.us/dyn/comm_mtg_02.html
Ok, so I talked to some yahoo at the New Mexico racing commission today that said Chapa had a meeting with stewards coming up, and that, yeah, it was about a "buzzer or something." When I told her I write a blog she said don't quote me on that. I couldn't get to anyone official, but I think it's true because I heard a similar assessment from folks others who are generally in the know. I'll see if I can get someone on the phone that really knows what's going on and will tell me their name tomorrow.
Thanks for the tip, anon.
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