[Kasept]

Papi Chullo retired
By Dave Grening, DRF

Papi Chullo, a stakes winner who plummeted to low-level claimer, has been retired from racing after his new connections found a chip in a front ankle. He has been sold and will stand at stud in Jamaica.

Trainer Joe Imperio claimed the horse on behalf of Elizabeth Loftus for $10,000 on Dec. 28. Imperio said he was getting close to running him, but X-rays taken last week revealed "a brand new chip in his ankle,'' Imperio said.

"We didn't want to hurt him,'' Imperio said. "We did the right thing.''

Imperio said Loftus and Michael Imperio, the trainer's cousin, helped make a deal to stand the horse in Jamaica.

Papi Chullo began his career with owner Greg Norman, who employed five trainers during the horse's first 17 races. The horse was sold privately to Steve Sigler's Winning Move Stable and turned over to Gary Contessa in the spring of 2007 and the horse won an allowance race and the Birdstone Stakes. The IEAH Stables bought into the horse before the Birdstone.

Papi Chullo's career went south after the Birdstone as he was well-beaten in the Whitney and Philip Iselin handicaps. The horse was off for 14 months before winning a $16,000 claimer last October.

Papi Chullo won 7 of 25 races and $391,062.