Santa Anita
Desormeaux sidelined with rib and lung injuries
Barbara D. Livingston Kent Desormeaux will ride at Santa Anita on Jan. 25-26.
ARCADIA, Calif. – On Tuesday, trainer Bob Hess Jr. was seeking a rider in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship for Merit Man to replace Kent Desormeaux. Desormeaux was hospitalized Sunday after being kicked in the chest during a frightening incident in the post parade for the eighth race.
Desormeaux remained hospitalized as of Tuesday morning with a fractured rib and a bruised lung, Hess said. It was unclear Tuesday how long the 44-year-old Desormeaux would be sidelined.
The jockey and trainer were a formidable combination at Del Mar during the summer, winning 14 races from 50 starters.
Merit Man won the Green Flash Handicap over five furlongs on the Polytrack synthetic surface at Del Mar on Aug. 13.