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Longtime Jockey Roman Chapa Dies at Age 50
Texas-based jockey Jockey Roman Chapa, 50, died July 27th in San Antonio, Texas.

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Longtime Jockey Roman Chapa Dies at Age 50

PLEASANTON, TX—JULY 29, 2021—A "Celebration of Life" memorial service for longtime Texas jockey Roman Chapa, who won nearly 2,000 official races across different breeds, will be held Wednesday, August 4th. Chapa died July 27th in San Antonio, Texas. He was 50.

Visitation would be held Aug. 3 from 5-7 p.m. (CDT) at Hurley Funeral Home in Pleasanton, Texas. A rosary service will follow. The next day (Aug 4), a celebration of life memorial service will be held at the Cowboy Fellowship Church in Jourdanton at 10 a.m.

In 2020, Chapa won races at Sweetwater Downs in Wyoming and Arapahoe Park in Colorado. This March, he was severely injured in a race in Georgia, according to a Facebook post by his wife, Casey.

Complications from his March injuries resulted in collapsed lungs and other health issues. On July 2, after 103 days of medical care, 45 of those in a medically induced coma, the rider returned home.

"He leaves behind three beautiful daughters, precious grandkids, two families on both sides who loved him," his sister-in-law Danya Jegede posted on Facebook.

According to Equibase stats, Chapa awon 1,722 Thoroughbred races and 140 Quarter Horse races. He did not ride in sanctioned races from 2015-19 while serving a five-year suspension for carrying a buzzer in a race at Sam Houston Race Park in 2015, one of the multiple infractions the rider had for electronic shocking devices. The Texas Racing Commission also fined him $100,000.

Among his top Quarter Horse mounts were champion Prospect To The Top and Retama Park Derby(G2) winner Rarley Miss Informed.