Jockey Desormeaux completes 60-day suspension, but return unclear

ARCADIA, Calif. - Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, who has not ridden since January, recently completed a 60-day suspension issued by Del Mar stewards in August related to an altercation at an RV park at Del Mar last fall.

While Desormeaux’s short-term plans regarding a potential return to riding are unclear, he has been suspended eight racing days in coming weeks after losing appeals of two penalties issued at Del Mar for causing interference in summer 2021.

According to two rulings published Saturday by Santa Anita stewards Luis Jauregui, Kim Sawyer, and Rich Williams, Desormeaux is suspended three days next Friday through Sunday for an infraction in July 2021, and for five racing days - Oct. 28-30 and Nov. 4-5 - for an infraction in August 2021.

Earlier this year, the racing board issued a complaint against Del Mar related to the incident at the RV park. According to the complaint, Desormeaux admitted to consuming alcohol “throughout the year,” a violation of an agreement he signed in December 2020 with the Winner’s Foundation stating that he would refrain from “using any mind-altering and mood-changing substances from Dec. 14, 2020 through Dec. 26, 2021."

The Winner’s Foundation aids people in California racing with substance-abuse issues.

Desormeaux, 52, was arrested in his home state of Louisiana in January on charges of domestic abuse and battery. The same weekend, officials with 1/ST Racing, which operates Golden Gate Fields, Gulfstream Park, Laurel, Pimlico and Santa Anita, said Desormeaux was “not welcome” to ride at those venues because of the charges.

A company official said on Sunday that Desormeaux’s situation is under discussion, pending review of documents from the California Horse Racing Board.

Desormeaux did not return a phone call seeking comment on Sunday.

Desormeaux, who has won three Kentucky Derbys and three Eclipse Awards, has had numerous disruptions in his career related to substance-abuse issues.

Desormeaux has won 6,116 races in North America and more than 100 races overseas, primarily in Japan.

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