Chop Chop moves tack to SoCal

Chavez Moving Tack to Southern California
by Margaret Ransom
Date Posted: 8/5/2006 4:15:20 PM
Last Updated: 8/7/2006 11:51:44 AM
Eclipse Award-winning jockey Jorge Chavez plans to relocate from his East Coast base to ride regularly on the Southern California circuit within the next two weeks, according to agent Chuck Marikian.

Chavez, who currently ranks seventh in the Monmouth Park jockey standings, is expected to arrive in Del Mar on Aug. 16 and begin accepting mounts on Aug. 18, Marikian said.

"He's going to retire here," said Marikian, a former trainer. "The response (from horsemen) has been overwhelming. He always wanted to come out here, and when the opportunity presented itself, he jumped on the chance."

The 44-year-old Chavez, a native of Peru, earned the Eclipse Award as the nation's top rider in 1999 and was aboard Monarchos to win the 2001 Kentucky Derby (gr. I).

He was the top rider in New York from 1994 through 1999 and has won two Breeders' Cup races aboard Beautiful Pleasure (1999 Distaff) and Artax (1999 Sprint). He led Gulfstream Park riders in wins in 1989, 1999, 2000, and 2001 and has 12 New York meet titles to his credit.

http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=34721

Last gasp for Chop Chop? I think so.