Desormeaux Returns to Action After Rehab Stint
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2020 DESORMEAUX RETURNS NASHVILLE & CHARLATAN FACE OFF IN MALIBU TO ACTION AFTER Unbeaten >TDN Rising Star= Nashville (Speightstown) has been nothing, but sensational in his three racetrack appearances thus REHAB STINT far and he looks to take his career to the next level in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. at Santa Anita Saturday. Romping by 11 1/2 lengths in the slop in his Saratoga unveiling Sept. 2, the $460,000 KEESEP purchase demolished a Keeneland allowance by 9 3/4 lengths next out Oct. 10. His Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen decided to take a more sensible route with his pupil and bypassed the GI Breeders= Cup Sprint in favor of the Perryville S. on the undercard at Keeneland Nov. 7. Cont. p4 The TDN offices will be closed Dec. 24 and 25 for the Christmas holiday. There will be no papers dated Dec. 25 or 26. The office will re-open Saturday, Dec. 26. Enjoy the holiday! IN TDN EUROPE TODAY Kent Desormeaux | Benoit ADDEYBB BEING PRIMED FOR AUSTRALIAN By Dan Ross RETURN When racing returns to Santa Anita Dec. 26, it does so in a MG1SW Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) is being prepped for a blitzkrieg of high-octane firepower, with races like the GI Malibu return to Australia and more rich Group 1 prizes. Emma Berry S., GI La Brea S. and GI American Oaks luring headline grabbers has the details. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. from across the country. As things go, race three on the card--a $16,000 claimer--is a far less exulted companion to its starrier cousins. But the race contains its own prodigal return...that of Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux after a hiatus from the saddle. Still, it's just the sort of low-key call to arms the jockey is looking for. "It's not something you get control of and go tell the world about your accomplishment," said Desormeaux, of his newly established sobriety after a tumultuous six-month period culminating from decades of struggle. "I can honestly say it's been 25 years since I've been clean this long," he said. It was back in July that Del Mar management barred Desormeaux from the grounds following an off-site incident in which the jockey was accused of using a racial epithet in a fight. The following September, the Del Mar stewards suspended the jockey for 15 days for "disorderly conduct--racial slurs, aggressive behavior." Cont. p3 PUBLISHER & CEO Sue Morris Finley @suefinley [email protected] SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor Thursday, December 24, 2020 Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Senior Editor Steve Sherack @SteveSherackTDN Racing Editor Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN Deputy Editor Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Associate Editors Christina Bossinakis @CBossTDN Joe Bianca @JBiancaTDN News and Features Editor In Memoriam: Ben Massam (1988-2019) ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising Alycia Borer Advertising Manager Lia Best Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistant/Dir. Of Distribution Rachel McCaffrey Advertising Assistants Amie Newcomb Kristen Lomasson Photographer/Photo Editor Sarah K. Andrew @SarahKAndrew [email protected] Silver and gold. 24-year-old Doctor’s Secret (Secret Hello - Slewper Girl, by Slewpy) decks the halls at Nearaway Farm in Perrineville, NJ. Bred in New Jersey, “Wizard” Social Media Strategist raced for two years in the colors of Freedom Acres Farm and is a riding horse in the Justina Severni care of TDN staffer Sarah Andrew. | Sarah Andrew Associate Producer Katie Ritz NYRA STAKES TO BE RUN LASIX FREE IN 2021 9 In accordance with its policy to eliminate race-day Lasix, NYRA Director of Customer Service Vicki Forbes stakes races will be run without Lasix starting Jan. 1, 2021. [email protected] SATURDAY’S GRADED STAKES Marketing Manager Alayna Cullen @AlaynaCullen ET Race Click for TV 2:40a Hopeful S.-G1, NAK --------------- TVG Director of IT/Accounting 3:36p Mathis Brothers Mile-GII, SA TJCIS PPs TVG Ray Villa 3:53p Allaire DuPont S.-GIII, Lrl TJCIS PPs TVG [email protected] [email protected] 5:09p San Antonio S.-GII, SA TJCIS PPs TVG 5:43p La Brea S.-GI, SA TJCIS PPs TVG WORLDWIDE INFORMATION 6:17p American Oaks-GI, SA TJCIS PPs TVG International Editor Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN 6:51p Runhappy Malibu S.-GI, SA TJCIS PPs TVG [email protected] European Editor Emma Berry [email protected] Associate International Editor Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 12 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • DECEMBER 24, 2020 Desormeaux cont. from p1 Keith & Kent Desormeaux | Benoit He was also ordered to be evaluated by the Winners Foundation, which helps backstretch workers deal with substance-abuse problems, and "abide by the recommendations of that organization." Desormeaux explained that he subsequently enrolled in a three-month rehabilitation program at a local facility. It's not the first time the jockey has sought professional help for his substance abuse issues--another stint was as recent as 2016. But this has been the most concerted effort yet, he said, to wrestle the demons under control. "This one was not a resort. It was not a vacation. It was not intended to buy some time," he said. "I learned a lot about myself and came back to reality. There's a lot of people who certainly care about me, love me and they were deeply concerned." One of those family members who has proven resiliently loyal is his brother, trainer Keith Desormeaux, for whom the jockey has two mounts at Santa Anita Saturday and Sunday "He has always had my best interest at hand," said Desormeaux. "He has long told me that what I've just gone through was needed for quite some time. He's not sticking by me just this weekend. He's stuck by me through thick and thin before." Desormeaux explained that, as a condition of his license, he is required to undergo routine testing. "I have a very restricted license," he said. "I get tested often, and there's not enough lapse of time for me to use ever. I can't use at all. Not weekends. Not days off. At all." The plan moving forward is very simple, Desormeaux said. ASticking to the program," he said, in reference to both alcohol and narcotics anonymous meetings. "You know how they say, 'you live to learn and learn to live?' I've learned how to live, and now I can move on and live to learn." HappyHappy HolidaysHolidays Bee Jersey Copper Bullet Country House NEW Dialed In Dolphus NEW Flameaway Higher Power NEW Klimt Sky Kingdom Tale of Ekati Tale of Verve Tapiture Devoted to the horse. Dedicated to our clients. DARBY DAN FARM Contact Ryan Norton: (859) 254-0424 www.DarbyDan.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 12 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • DECEMBER 24, 2020 Malibu cont. from p1 speedy series of drills since returning to the Bob Baffert barn. Nashville ran the field off their hooves right from the get-go, Baffert also sends out Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) in completing the six-furlong event in a new track record time of this event. Runner-up in the GIII Los Alamitos Derby July 4, the 1:07.89. That time was almost a $1 million KEESEP buy captured full second faster than the BC the Shared Belief S. at Del Mar Sprint, which Whitmore Aug 1. A late scratch from the (Pleasantly Perfect) finished in GI Kentucky Derby Sept. 5 after 1:08.61. rearing up and flipping over in Nashville faces another the paddock, the bay could only speedy son of Speightstown manage eighth when seeking who has yet to be beaten to the redemption in the GI Preakness finish line in Charlatan. A S. Oct. 3. dazzling debut winner in GSW Independence Hall Arcadia Feb. 16, the >TDN (Constitution) makes his second Rising Star= made a mockery of start for trainer Mike McCarthy a one-mile allowance at Santa after winning a Del Mar Anita Mar. 14, coasting home to optional claimer Nov. 8. a 10 1/4-length victory. The Rounding out the field is GI Bing $700,000 KEESEP acquisition Nashville | Coady Crosby S. victor Collusion crossed the line six lengths clear Illusion (Twirling Candy) and when taking his division of the GI Arkansas Derby May 2, but Express Train (Union Rags), who was last seen finishing eighth was later disqualified for a lidocaine positive. Pointed towards when trying turf in the GII Twilight Derby Oct. 18. the GI Belmont S. in June, Charlatan was knocked off the Triple Crown trail by an ankle chip that required surgery, but displays a TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 5 OF 12 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • DECEMBER 24, 2020 FINITE INVADES FOR LA BREA the one-mile GIII Chilukki S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 21. Grand Farm Family=s Himiko (American Pharoah), a $1-million Winchell Thoroughbreds=s multiple graded stakes-winning Fasig-Tipton November weanling, jumps up to stakes company homebred Finite (Munnings) invades from the east to face off and stretches out to a mile following a pair of impressive against a talented group of sophomore fillies in the seven- victories. The Bob Baffert trainee suffered through three furlong GI La Brea S. at Santa troubled trips to begin her Anita Saturday. Trained by Steve career before breaking her Asmussen, the chestnut put maiden going six furlongs at together a four-race win streak Santa Anita Oct.