3/8/15 SA R4 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Among the many other events that went on this past weekend at The Great Race Place, on Sunday City Chapel, the longshot claim that we've been following, brought his act downstate from the Bay area.  Competing in Race 4 on March 8, City Chapel (Final Odds 1.70*) raced towards the rear in the backstretch, came five into the stretch, and proved himself to be second best in the field, crossing the wire four and three quarter lengths in front of Show horse Smart Ellis (9.70), but over three lengths behind the winner, Senor Rain (3.00).  For his Place finish City Chapel earned $4,200 in purse money for Owner and Trainer Victor Trujillo.

And with that race our following of City Chapel comes to an end; as City Chapel was claimed for the $12.5k price tag for which he ran, and now moves to the barn of Trainer Kelly Castaneda.  We charted City Chapel from the August 26, 2012 race in which he went to post at final odds of 29.80 and was claimed by Trujillo for $4k, through this past Sunday's contest; a total of thirty-five races that City Chapel ran for the Trujillo barn.  In those thirty-five races City Chapel finished in the money twenty-five times (7 Wins, 10 Place, 8 Show), bringing home a total of $119,925 in purse money.  Add in the $12.5k for which he sold Sunday, and that's a total return of $132,425 for the initial four thousand dollar claim.  Definitely a job well done by Trujillo.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

2/5/15 GG R2 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

City Chapel, the longshot claim that we've been following, returned to the claiming ranks Thursday, running with a $25k price tag on his head in Race 2 at Golden Gate Fields.  Breaking from Post Position 6, City Chapel (Final Odds 5.60) ran midpack throughout, finishing the six furlong contest fourth in the field of six, three and a half lengths behind the winner, Passing Game (0.60*).  For his efforts City Chapel earned $1,380 in purse money, thus bringing his total earnings since being claimed for $4k by Owner / Trainer Victor Trujillo to $115,725.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

1/10/15 GG R8 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

City Chapel, the longshot claim that we've been following, took another crack at the non-claiming Allowance ranks in Race 8 Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.  Starting from Post Position 7, City Chapel (Final Odds 30.60) broke eighth from the gate, came four wide out of the turn, and was gaining on the leader at the wire; but City Chapel couldn't get there quick enough, and finished fifth, two and a quarter lengths behind the winner, # 4 Elmonte Cristo (2.00*).

For his efforts City Chapel earns $540 in purse money for the barn of Owner / Trainer Victor Trujillo, bringing City Chapel's total earnings since being claimed for $4,000 to $114,345.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

12/21/14 LRC R9 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

In an event that we've already covered as part of the Late Pick Four, Paralyzing Eyes, the five year old mare whose career we've been following, competed Sunday in Race 9 at Los Alamitos Race Course.  Paralyzing Eyes (33.80), trained by Bruce Jackson and running with a $20k price tag on her head, was bumped at the start, but quickly gained the lead in the early going.  However, her time at the front of the pack was short lived, as she was soon shuffled back, advancing to the rear through the stretch, and crossing the wire eighth in the field of eleven, sixteen lengths back of the winner, Flyin for a Livin (0.40*).  The loss brings Paralyzing Eyes career mark to oh-for-eighteen.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

12/4/14 LRC R2 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Back on September 21 Paralyzing Eyes, the Bruce Jackson mare that we've been following since June 2012, made the fourteenth start of her career; but her first ever at Los Alamitos Race Course.  Paralyzing Eyes, with Jockey Iggy Puglisi on her back, ran the best race of her career that day, taking the Place at Final Odds of 46.30-1.  On Thursday Paralyzing Eyes returned to Los Alamitos to see if she could duplicate that effort in her second career start over the Los Al main track.  However, despite once again having Jockey Iggy Puglisi holding the reins, she could not.

Paralyzing Eyes (23.00), breaking from Post Position # 6 in Race 2, flashed some early speed, but then retreated the rest of the way, losing more ground with each successive call, until finally crossing the wire seventh, over a dozen lengths behind the winner, Vocalist (6.40).  The loss brings Paralyzing Eyes career mark to oh-for-seventeen.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

11/22/14 GG R7 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

City Chapel, the longshot claim that we've been following, took another step up the class ladder Saturday, moving into the non-claiming Allowance ranks in Race 7 at Golden Gate Fields.

City Chapel (Final Odds 8.40) was up closer to the pace than usual Saturday, racing third through the back stretch, just outside the early leaders.  City Chapel came three wide out of the turn into the home stretch, and was able to hold the Show, but did not have enough to catch the gate to wire winner, # 8 Grazen's Hope (1.40*).  The third place finish was worth $3,600 in purse money; thus bringing City Chapel's total earnings since being claimed for $4,000 by Owner/Trainer Victory Trujillo to $113,805.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

10/24/14 GG R7 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

City Chapel, the longshot claim that we've been following, took a step up in the world, both literally and figuratively, as he headed back upstate to Golden Gate Fields to compete in Race 7 Friday, a $25k Optional Claimer (City Chapel was not in for a tag).

Breaking widest in a field of ten, City Chapel (Final Odds 13.70) continued to run wide around the first turn and through the backstretch.  City Chapel made a nice middle move through the second turn, but didn't have enough left for the drive and finished fifth, six and a half lengths behind the winner, Yahoo Tahoe (7.00).  For his efforts City Chapel earned $600 in purse money for his connections, bringing his total earnings since being claimed for $4,000 by Owner / Trainer Victor Trujillo to $110,205.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

10/19/14 SA R1 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

They gave her a quick six day turnaround; they moved her back to the turf; they moved her back up to MSW; and they brought back Jockey Iggy Puglisi to sit on her back.  A lot of changes; but the result was pretty much what you've come to expect.  

Paralyzing Eyes, the five year old maiden mare trained by Bruce Jackson and owned by Marie Jackson that we've been following, made her third start of 2014 in Race 1 at Santa Anita Sunday after having just competed the previous Monday, October 13.  After being fractious in the gate, Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 98.20) was second at the break, fell back to seventh by the time they hit the first quarter mark, and crossed the wire after eight furlongs last in the field of eight, twenty lengths behind the winner, Demonica (3.80).  The loss brings Paralyzing Eyes career mark to oh-for-sixteen.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

10/13/14 SA R5 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Paralyzing Eyes, the maiden mare trained by Bruce Jackson that we've been following, made her second start of 2014 Monday, in Race 5 at Santa Anita.

In her first start of 2014, in September Paralyzing Eyes had achieved her best career result, taking the Place in a field of ten.  Perhaps because of the strain of that effort; perhaps because she had preferred the surface at Los Alamitos; or maybe because she enjoyed having Jockey Iggy Puglisi on her back that day; whatever the reason, Paralyzing Eyes did not build off that effort, but rather regressed to a result which we're more accustomed to on Monday; as Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 36.30) was no closer than seventh at any point in the running, and finished ninth, over seventeen lengths behind the winner, Full of Spice (6.30).

So it remains to be seen if the September success was just an abnormality, or if Paralyzing Eyes simply bounced off that effort, and can be expected to improve next time out.  Either way, we'll be following.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

9/21/14 LRC R9 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

My apologies for being late out of the gate on this, but Paralyzing Eyes, the maiden mare trained by Bruce Jackson that we've been following since June 2012, made her 2014 debut Sunday.  Competing in the final race of the September meet at Los Alamitos Race Course, Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 46.30), ridden by Jockey Iggy Puglisi, posted the best result of her fourteen race career.  Running against fellow maidens for a $20k price tag, Paralyzing Eyes ran a stalking trip where she finished well behind the winner, Acategoryfivestorm (2.10*), but over a length clear of the rest of the field for the Place.

We'll be watching to see if Paralyzing Eyes can improve off that effort her next time out and perhaps shed the "Career Maiden" label.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

9/20/14 LRC R2 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

City Chapel, the longshot claim that we've been following, made it three Wins in a row for Owner / Trainer Victor Trujillo Saturday; but that's not all.  City Chapel (Final Odds 12.90) not only "stubbornly lasted" (in the words of the chart caller) to cross the wire a half length in front of Dewrag (12.60), but he also set a new track record for Los Alamitos Race Course, covering the seven furlongs in 1:21.78.  Not too shabby for a horse that was claimed for $4k out of a race in which he went to post at Final Odds of over 29-1.

The Win Saturday was worth $16,200 to the connections of City Chapel, thus bringing his total earning for the Trujillo barn since being claimed for $4,000 to over $100k; $109,605 to be exact.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

8/24/14 GG R5 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

City Chapel, the longshot claim that we've been following, made it back-to-back Wins for Owner / Trainer Victor Trujillo Sunday, getting up just in time to defeat Aliza's Dream (Final Odds 22.80) by a nose in Race 5 at Golden Gate Fields.  According to the chart caller, City Chapel (7.20), running with a $20k price tag on his head, "had no speed, trailed to the turn, circled four then five wide to the stretch, rallied when set down for the drive and closed stoutly to get a desperate nod."  

This marks City Chapel's seventh career Win, his sixth since being claimed by Trujillo for $4k almost exactly two years ago out of this race, where City Chapel went to Post at Final Odds of 29.80.  Today's victory was worth $10,800 in purse money, bringing City Chapel's total earning since running for Trujillo to $93,405.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

7/17/14 SAC R3 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

City Chapel, the longshot claim that we've been following, picked up his fifth win Thursday for Owner/Trainer Victor Trujillo since having been claimed some twenty-three months ago for $4,000 out of this race, in which City Chapel went to post at odds of 29.8-1.  Thursday's race, a six furlong Starter Allowance on the dirt in which City Chapel went to post at odds of 11.5-1, was worth $9,650 to the Winner.  That brings City Chapel's total purse earnings for the Trujillo barn to $82,605.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

6/14/14 GG R7 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

City Chapel, the longshot claim that we've been following, made her twenty-seventh start for Owner/Trainer Victor Trujillo Saturday in Race 7 at Golden Gate Fields, an unrestricted $20k Claiming Race.  Breaking from the five hole, City Chapel (Final Odds 6.60) was last at the half and sixth after three quarters before going three wide in the stretch to pass tiring runners and grab the Show.  For his efforts today City Chapel earned $2,400 in purse money for his connections, bringing his total earnings since joining the Trujillo barn to $72,955.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

5/18/14 GG R4 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

City Chapel, the longshot claim by Victor Trujillo that we've been following, competed Sunday in Race 4 at Golden Gate Fields, an open $20k claimer run at a distance of eight and a half furlongs on some California grass.  City Chapel (Final Odds 12.00) broke slow, hugged the rail, and had nothing for the drive.  He finished fifth in the field of six, over a half dozen lengths behind the winner, Duke of Doom (2.80).  

This was City Chapel's first out of the money finish since last December, when he finished fifth at the late Hollywood Park.  Prior to that, the last time City Chapel had finished out of the money was back on May 31, 2013.  For his efforts today City Chapel earned $400 in purse money for his connections, bringing his total earnings since joining the Trujillo barn to $70,555.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

5/1/14 GG R5 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Now that we're back, it's time to get caught up.

For those who may be new to this blog (and for those who just need a brief refresher) we've been following City Chapel, a five year old gelding by Chapel Royal, since August 2012, when he was claimed out of this race by Owner/Trainer Victor Trujillo.  To be quite honest, we didn't know what to expect from City Chapel at the time; but it was certainly eye-catching to see a horse with one career win in seventeen tries, and total career earnings of $15,861 (an average of less than one thousand dollars per race) get claimed from a race in which he finished fifth at Final Odds of 29.80-1.  The combination of high odds and poor finish would seem to indicate that City Chapel was not a good class fit even at the cheap level of that contest ($4k NW2L) and as a gelding he sure wasn't being bought for breeding purposes.  But despite all that Trujillo saw something that neither the betting public nor City Chapel's prior connections did, and willingly plunked down the four grand to have City Chapel in his barn.

On Thursday, May 1, City Chapel competed for the twenty-fifth time for Owner/Trainer Victor Trujillo; in this most recent contest with a $20k price tag on his head (five times the amount for which he had been purchased by Trujillo) in a race for non-winners of two lifetime, excluding Maiden, Claiming and Starter races for $16k or less (abbreviated as NW2L X). As can be seen from the Equibase chart of the race, City Chapel (Final Odds 1.80) was last at the half but rallied in the stretch on the all-weather track to take the Place in the six furlong contest, two and a half lengths behind the Winner, Mickey Ball (1.50*).

So in the twenty-five races that City Chapel has run for the Trujillo barn, he sports a record of four Wins, nine Seconds, and six Thirds (25 4-9-6).  City Chapel's total earnings for Trujillo since being claimed for $4,000, including the $3,600 he brought in for the Place finish on May 1, come to $70,155, approximately $2.8k per race.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

4/11/14 GG R3 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

City Chapel, the longshot claim by Victor Trujillo that we've been following returned to action with a bang Friday.  Competing in Race 3 at Golden Gate Fields, an unrestricted (!) $16k Claiming Race, City Chapel (Final Odds 11.40) tracked the pace into the stretch before closing on the leaders to win by half a length, covering the eight furlongs on the synthetic track in 1:39.39.  City Chapel's victory was worth $10,200 in purse money to his connections, bringing City Chapel's total earnings since being claimed for $4,000 to $66,555.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

3/13/14 GG R4 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

After spending a little over two months away from the starting gate, City Chapel, the longshot claim by Trainer Victor Trujillo that we've been following, returned to competition Thursday in Race 4 at Golden Gate Fields.  Breaking from the four post, City Chapel (Final Odds 2.20) made a two wide move between horses in the turn, but then flattened out in the stretch, and settled for the Show.  For his efforts City Chapel earns $1440 for his connections, bringing his total earnings since being claimed back in August 2012 for $4,000 to $56,355.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

1/9/14 GG R7 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

It was back to Northern California Thursday for City Chapel, the longshot claim by Owner / Trainer Victor Trujillo that we've been following.  City Chapel competed in Race 7 at Golden Gate Fields, a Claiming Race ($12.5k-$10k) for non-winners of two lifetime other than Maiden, Claiming, and Starter races for $10k or less (NW2LX).  

Breaking from the widest post, City Chapel (Final Odds 3.60) stalked the pace, took the turn five wide, and was closing at the end, only to finish second, a half length behind Post Time Favorite Roving Storm (1.70*).  For his efforts City Chapel earns $2400 in purse money for his connections, bringing his total earnings for the Trujillo barn since being claimed for $4,000 to $54,915.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

12/14/13 BHP R4 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

City Chapel, the longshot claim by Victor Trujillo that we've been following, made his way down state Saturday to compete in Race 4 at Hollywood Park.  The contest, run at a distance of six and a half furlongs over the plastic main track, was a Starter Allowance with the following conditions:

For Three Year Olds And Upward Which Have Started For A Claiming Price Of $12,500 Or Less In 2013 And Have Not Won Two Races Since August 15, 2013.

So this was a step up the class ladder for City Chapel from the conditioned claimers against which he had competed in his last couple of races; and that's before factoring in the generally tougher competition found among the thoroughbreds in Southern California when compared to their Northern California brethren.  Still, City Chapel (Final Odds 36.20) did not embarrass himself, racing mid-pack throughout; in fact, City Chapel finished fifth, right smack in the middle of the nine horse field.

For his efforts, City Chapel's fifth place finish earns $500 in purse money for his connections, bringing his total earnings for the Trujillo barn since being claimed for $4,000 to $52,515.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo