CHRB investigating Desormeaux over missed Thursday mounts

ARCADIA, Calif. – Kent Desormeaux will ride Friday at Santa Anita while the circumstances that led to him not riding his two mounts Thursday are under investigation by the California Horse Racing Board.

Desormeaux, scheduled to ride four horses Friday, met earlier in the day with stewards Scott Cheney, Kim Sawyer, and Tom Ward. The meeting was “informal,” according to stewards, who declined further comment pending the CHRB investigation.

As of midday, the stewards and Desormeaux expected that the jockey would ride his four mounts Friday in races 4, 6, 7, and 8. None of the principals would comment further. “It’s been turned over to CHRB investigators,” Ward said.

CHRB spokesman Mike Marten told Santa Anita publicity, “At this time, there’s an open investigation, and we can’t comment.”

Desormeaux was asked about the situation prior to his 12:30 p.m. Pacific meeting with stewards. “I have nothing to say; I’ll handle it in here [with the stewards],” he said. The Hall of Fame rider, who is scheduled to ride Imperative on Saturday in the Gold Cup, referred questions to his agent, Mike Ciani.

“I’m going to decline comment for now, too,” Ciani said. “It’s not appropriate for me to say anything. I think [the situation Thursday] was a little blown out of proportion. But that’s the racetrack.”

The CHRB investigation is expected to be completed in the next two weeks.