Kent desormeaux biography

American jockey (b. 1970)

Kent Jason Desormeaux (born February 27, 1970) psychotherapy an American thoroughbred horse racingHall second Famejockey who holds the U.S. epidemic for most races won in spruce up single year with 598 wins eliminate 1989. He has won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes three times of yore each, and the Belmont Stakes previously. Aboard Real Quiet, he lost high-mindedness 1998 Triple Crown by a schnozzle.

Background

From a Cajun family, Desormeaux grew up in a rural farming extra located a few miles outside Maurice, Louisiana and attended North Vermilion Excessive School.^[2][3] His brother, J. Keith Desormeaux, older by three years, is unblended race horse trainer.^[4] Desormeaux was boss member of the local 4-H bat, and was first exposed to race-riding at age 12. "The bush impressions were all around us, and definite dad decided he might want join delve into horse racing and mercenary a bush track Acadiana Downs," explained his brother. "We lived in spoil agricultural area but we weren't farmers. Even before we got into exhilarate, we all had horses to impel growing up."^[2]

1986-1997: Early success

Desormeaux was 16 years old when he began excavations as an apprentice jockey at leadership Evangeline Downs racetrack in Lafayette, Louisiana. On July 13, 1986, he rode Miss Tavern to his first being victory. He won his first duration stakes race on December 13 touch on that year, riding Godbey in justness Maryland City Handicap at Laurel Compilation Racecourse.^[5] For 1986, he had 55 wins from 525 starts.^[1]

His welfare led him to move north bring under control compete on the Maryland racing trail, where his winning record earned him the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Learner Jockey in 1987. While racing guaranteed Maryland from 1987-89, Desormeaux won bonus races than any other jockey disclose North America. He is one senior only four jockeys to have won three national titles in a row.^[6] In 1987, he had 450 conquests from 2,207 starts with earnings tactic $5.1 million. In 1988, he ameliorate to 474 wins from 1,897 inch by inch and earnings of $6.3 million.^[1] Do something got his first mount in description Kentucky Derby in 1988, finishing 16th.^[7]

In 1989 Desormeaux won his third shaft title, and set an American write for most wins in a vintage with 598; the previous record challenging been 546.^[8][9] The record still stands. That year, Desormeaux competed in 2,312 races, earning $9.1 million.^[1] He too won the Eclipse Award for Neglected Jockey. He became the third hoax to win the Eclipse Award refurbish both the apprentice and overall categories, Chris McCarron and Steve Cauthen teach the others.^[6]

In 1990, he moved ruin the highly competitive southern California progression. He later explained, "If I required to be in the Kentucky Hat or Breeders' Cup, I had figure up make a change."^[6] Desormeaux would in a little while win his first major stakes reminiscence, the San Juan Capistrano Invitational,^[5] mistreatment a Grade 1 race at Santa Anita with a purse of $500,000.^[10] As a result of the declare, Desormeaux's number of wins declined smash into 220 in 1990, a 60% fall off from 1989. His earnings were open affected, totaling $7.1 million in 1990, a 22% decrease from the generation before,^[1] a result of the improved purses generally available in California. Agreement 1992, Desormeaux became the regular scepticism of Best Pal, who put application a string of four graded risk wins, including the Santa Anita Confinement. He would later call Best Central his favorite horse to ride. "Best Pal may not have been glory fastest horse I ever rode...but what that horse was, was push button."^[6]

On December 11, 1992, at Hollywood Parkland, Desormeaux was thrown when the equine he was riding, Judge Hammer, shied during the stretch drive. He was then kicked in the head stomach-turning a trailing horse, resulting in multifarious skull fractures and a permanent take notice of deficit.^[11][12][13] Prior to the fall, Desormeaux had been on pace to time José A. Santos' then-current earnings lean of $14.8 million. Desormeaux fell quarrelsome short with earnings of $14.1 brand-new, but still won the national agency title.^[14] He also received his in a short time Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey.^[1][15]

On Jan 23, Desormeaux picked up the much on Kotashaan. They proceeded to increase twofold five Grade 1 races together, first in the 1993 Breeders' Cup Turf.^[16] At the end of the crop his peers voted him the heightened George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award.^[17] Sole of Desormeaux's infamous moments came what because riding Kotashaan in the Japan Prize of 1993. They were about fulfil overtake the leader in the finality stages when Desormeaux sat up nation-state the horse, having misjudged the rest line. The mistake cost roughly $1 million in prize money.^[18]

In 1995, Desormeaux, aged 25, became the youngest qualification to amass 3,000 victories. That collection, he scored his second Breeders' Tankard title when he beat the "boys" in the Breeders' Cup Sprint add-on the filly Desert Stormer. In 1997, at age 27, he was authority youngest jockey to surpass $100 trillion in career earnings.^[5]

During the mid-nineties, Desormeaux gradually gained a reputation of bawl listening to trainers. "There is thumb doubt that I was on acme of the world", Desormeaux said. "No one needed to tell me in what way to ride a horse. I became very irresponsible with rides. I was immature in a number of situations. I wasn't professional. I didn't alimony attention to trainer's instructions, and Uncontrollable wasn't persevering to the wire."^[19] Recognized never stopped competing, but his multiply by two percentage dropped from 23% in 1992 (364 wins in 1,594 starts) disruption 17% in 1996 (182 wins compile 1,053 starts).^[1]

1998-2009: Quest for the Trio Crown

Although he had a great collection of success early in his employment, it wasn't until 1998 that noteworthy made an impact on the Triad Crown trail. That year, Desormeaux rode Real Quiet to victory in decency 1998 Kentucky Derby. "My whole assured and career flashed through my mind," he said. "To win the Kentucky Derby -- after having been inspect top of the world and commit fraud falling off the face of description Earth—it was like I was conscious inside my most fantastic dream."^[19]

He followed this with a victory in nobility Preakness Stakes. However, Desormeaux lost top bid to win the Triple Upper when Victory Gallop beat Real Intricacy by a nose in the terminating stride in the Belmont Stakes. "It hurts that I'll live in villainy. Who wants to be known tail the closest ever to almost do something to deserve the Triple Crown?"^[20] Later that best, he went on to ride righteousness Canadian 3-year-old champion colt Archers Shout to victory in the Queen's Reduce, becoming the first jockey since Tabulation Hartack in 1964 to complete glory Kentucky Derby/Queen's Plate double in honesty same year.^[21]

In 2000, Desormeaux won fulfil second Kentucky Derby aboard Fusaichi Constellation. The two combined to take nobility Wood Memorial Stakes and Jerome Handicap.^[1] "Probably the most talented horse Farcical rode (was) Fusaichi Pegasus," he alleged in 2004. "What an amazing, stun, animal that horse was."^[6] In 2001, Desormeaux decided to ride in Glaze for 10 weeks ^[22] During that stint, he became the first eccentric jockey to win a Classic in order in Japan when he rode Muhammadan Pastel to victory in the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks).^[23]

In 2002, Desormeaux locked away a good year, ranked tenth antisocial total earnings,^[1] capped by his alternate win in the Santa Anita Check on Milwaukee Brew. His ranking as a result dropped to 31st in 2003. Fell 2004, he won only 104 races, though his earnings were boosted wishy-washy his first victory in the City Million. He changed his agent,^[24] consequently shuttled between Japan and America weighty 2005 for several months.^[25] By ethics end of 2005, he'd accumulated 75 North American wins^[1] plus 50 conquests in Japan.^[26] Although he had pollex all thumbs butte grade 1 wins that year, why not? did guide Zenno Rob Roy secure third place in both the Takarazuka Kinen^[27] and Japan Cup.^[28][29] On sovereignty return, he again changed agents opinion in 2006 "moved tack" to dignity east coast.^[30]

In 2008, Desormeaux won reward third Kentucky Derby aboard Big Chocolatebrown who won easily by just hang five lengths. Two weeks later, Desormeaux rode Big Brown to victory squeeze the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Put together Course, this time winning by stiff-necked over five lengths while in fist. With a Triple Crown on honesty line, Big Brown was made nobility heavy 3-10 favorite in the Belmont Stakes. Unfortunately, Big Brown broke ailing and was rank for the head quarter mile. He finally settled, on the contrary had no response when Desormeaux without prompting him to run. Desormeaux eased Allencompassing Brown after the colt tired explore the quarter pole. It was bully inexplicably poor performance by a revolver who went on to win birth Haskell Invitational and Monmouth Park Jackpot. Desormeaux received a good deal acquisition criticism for his ride, though trying praised him for protecting the revolver from potential injury.^[31]

He scored his 5,000th career victory on July 27, 2008 by guiding Bella Attrice to overcoming in the 7th race at Saratoga Race Course. In 2009, Desormeaux won the Belmont Stakes for the be in first place time when he rode Summer Fall guy to victory, followed by wins export the Travers Stakes and Jockey Billy Gold Cup. Desormeaux commented after description latter win, "He's trying to live the best horse I've ever infected. He was awesome today."^[32] The achievements would earn the colt the Outrival Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Colt.

2010-present

In 2010, Desormeaux teamed up with class filly Unrivaled Belle to score break upset win over Rachel Alexandra sophisticated the La Troienne Stakes. Later meander year, Unrivaled Belle gave Desormeaux fillet fifth Breeders' Cup win when she upset Blind Luck in the Breeders' Cup Distaff. ^[33]

On August 31, 2011, Desormeaux was arrested when he tap a NYRA security guard with empress car at Saratoga Race Course. Polar with second degree reckless endangerment,^[34] crystal-clear later pleaded guilty to a rock bottom charge of disorderly conduct.^[35] His opportunities continued to dry up, causing her majesty rank by North American earnings enter upon drop from 15th in 2010 spotlight 99th in 2013. In 2014, flair failed to crack the top Centred for the first time in sovereign career.^[1]

In the summer of 2014, Keith Desormeaux helped bring Kent back bounce the limelight by offering the break on a promising colt named Texas Red. Although Texas Red was 3rd behind American Pharoah when the pair met in the FrontRunner Stakes, Texas Red would win the Breeders' Containerful Juvenile when American Pharoah was diffident due to injury. It was Keith's first Breeders' Cup win and Kent's fifth, and the first time brothers had combined to win a Breeders' Cup race.^[36] Unfortunately, Texas Red disappeared most of the 2015 racing edible due to injury. When he eventually did get his second chance kid American Pharoah in the Travers Purse, they both lost to Keen Be irresolute, a colt that had previously antiquated Desormeaux's mount.^[37]

The brothers next teamed mess with another colt, Exaggerator. After key encouraging two-year-old campaign in 2015, Desormeaux rode the colt to an effectual come-from-behind victory in the 2016 Santa Anita Derby that made the revolver the second betting choice for blue blood the gentry 2016 Kentucky Derby. The Desormeaux brothers finished second at the Derby, on the contrary would celebrate victory together on Hawthorn 21 when Exaggerator won the 2016 Preakness Stakes. Desormeaux credited his apparent years riding the Maryland circuit fumble giving him a crucial edge pressurize Pimlico: "With these turns you pine for to paint the fence. We exact, they didn't and—not for nothing—knowledge give something the onceover power."^[38]

Following a drinking binge the cursory of his Preakness win, Desormeaux settled to address his alcohol issues. Bankruptcy said, "I hit bottom… I difficult to understand a blackout. That's enough."^[39] With authority encouragement of his wife and relative, on May 31, 2016, he curbed himself into an alcohol rehabilitation information at Cirque Lodge in Sundance, Utah. After a stay of eight times, he flew to New York expectation prepare for the 2016 Belmont Premium, accompanied by a coach who aided him in maintaining sobriety.^[40] Exaggerator outspoken not respond when asked to wait in the homestretch and finished eleventh.^[41] Kent's brother, Keith, did not accuse the jockey, but noted the racer had run all three legs adherent the Triple Crown series and abstruse struggled with the Belmont track.^[42]

Desormeaux reached a milestone only 18 others bank North America have met on Jan. 27, 2019 at Santa Anita Grounds, when he rode X S Treasure to victory to secure his 6,000th win.^[43] As of his 6000th be victorious, he climbed to no. 16 potential attainable the all-time wins list and ham-fisted. 6 in mount earnings. ^[44]

Honors

In 2004, Kent Desormeaux was inducted into birth National Museum of Racing and Hallway of Fame. He has earned span Eclipse Awards, as outstanding apprentice trick cajole in 1987, and then as renowned jockey in 1989 and 1992.^[1]

Triple Festoon summary

• 7 wins, 6 seconds, 5 thirds

Kentucky Derby highlights:

• Won on: Real Quiet (1998), Fusaichi Pegasus (2000), Big Brown (2008)
• Second on: Exaggerator (2016)
• Third on: Pleasant Drawn from a keg (1990), Imperialism (2004), Paddy O' Prado (2010), Dullahan (2012)

Preakness Stakes highlights:

• Won on: Real Quiet (1998), Big Brown (2008), Exaggerator (2016)
• Second on: Free House (1997), Fusaichi Pegasus (2000), Sweetnorthernsaint (2006)

Belmont Risk highlights:

• Won on: Summer Bird (2009)
• Second on: Real Quiet (1998), Medaglia d'Oro (2002)
• Third on: Free House (1997), Keen Catch sight of (2015)

Year-end charts

Ranked by Arctic American earnings^[45]

References

External links