Desormeaux hearing before Santa Anita stewards postponed

Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, who was arrested on Jan. 28 on charges of domestic abuse and battery in Louisiana, received a continuance of a hearing before Santa Anita stewards on Thursday for a complaint issued by California Horse Racing Board investigators regarding alcohol use at an RV park on Del Mar property last November.

Roger Licht, an attorney representing Desormeaux, requested the continuance. A new hearing date has not been set.

Desormeaux was cited in the Del Mar complaint for getting into an argument with his girlfriend that drew the attention of security officials. At the time, Desormeaux admitted to consuming alcohol, a violation of an agreement he signed in December 2020 with the Winners Foundation stating he would refrain from “using any mind altering and mood changing substances” from Dec. 14, 2020 through Dec. 26, 2021.

The agreement stemmed from an incident at Del Mar in the summer of 2020 when Desormeaux was involved in a dispute at the RV park that led to a 15-day suspension for aggressive behavior and disorderly conduct. Desormeaux was reinstated after completing an in-patient rehabilitation program.

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Desormeaux, 51, last rode on Jan. 23. He was in Louisiana on Jan. 28 in advance of scheduled mounts at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 29 and at Santa Anita on Jan. 30.

After the arrest on Jan. 28, officials with 1/ST Racing, which owns tracks such as Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita, issued a memo stating Desormeaux is “not welcome” to ride at company-owned tracks.