DOWN SOUTII ON TOP Louisio na-born iockeys walk among gionfs in this yeor's nationol reins men stotisfics By Anne Lo ng lll otter than a splash of to that day when I won the llT'p,.-r, Taoasco on a srz- Kentucky Derby. If they could zling plate of crawfish Creole, bottle the feeling of being in native Louisiana jockeys are front at the wire of the greatest flaming with success this sea- race on Earth, there'd no longer son. And El Nino's got nothin' be any need for drugs; maybe to do with it. even no need for sexl It's an @ m amazing feeling, I'll tell you At press time, the illustrious z o group was led (in earnings) by that." =ao Kent Desormeaux, the current Through the first week of a a July, 2S-year-old Desormeaux poster child of Bayou-bred o jockeys who scored big-time o was ranked third nationally bY (more than on Real Quiet in the first two Kent Desormeaux season earnings legs of the 1998 Triple Crown $8.5 million, including l7 only to lose the Belmont by graded stakes wins, from a life- -an agonizing nose to Victory time of nearly $113 million). Gallop pilot Gary Stevens. But Not one to rest on his laurels, what Desormeaux's charisma however, Desormeaux and enthusiasm did in the ini- declared: "Well, number three tial two Classics to boost rac- simply puts me closer in touch ing's public image is worth far with number one. I am defi- more than any bonus offered nitely striving for a fourth Eclipse Award this year." by major credit-card race spon- T c Contributing to that goal SOTS. r- o "Talk about a dream come -l will be the riding title T Desormeaux O Desormeaux won (for the true!" exclaimed m between races at Hollywood -o fourth time) this year at Santa oa. Park, about a month after the -t Anita, which along with the o not-yet-contested Mar Triple Crown was over. @ Del @ "Anything and everything I've @ crown are honors that "are ever done in my life was to get Shane Sellers probably the most proud-bear- Summer 1998 ing ones for the jockey colony June 19 at Lone Star Park. out here. It'certainly stamps a The latter event featured statement on what you're $100,000 in prize money for doing. and it's very important four races in which a dozen jockeys most of whom are to me." ca N world-class- caliber competed Also important to m -o - Desormeaux are his Louisiana o aboard evenly-matched horses, o roots, to which he remains c with wagers placed on the rid- fiercely loyal. o ers instead of their mounts. U- "My mother's the glue for T Besides Sellers (who won all that," explained Desormeaux, a but one of the races), the line- native of Maurice. "She's Hobbie Albarado up included Louisiana natives always made sure that I Eddie Delahoussaye, remember where I come from Desormeaux, and leading Lone in every aspect. One thing Star rider Marlon St. Julien. she's said is to never, ever, be Rounding out the roster was embarrassed by the way I talk; second-place finisher Julie that it doesn't mean ignorance Krone, also Jerry Bailey, Gary in any way. It's simply the way Stevens, Pat Duy, Chris we speak." McCanon, Laffit Pincay, Mike Speaking summarily on the Smith and Sandy Hawley. -n whole Triple Crown experi- -c In an emotional statement ence, "it definitely changed my - after the final race, Sellers ded- -la life." Desormeaux stated. "I n icated the victory to yet another o m feel like if I had to, I could -o currently "hot" Louisiana-born hang my saddle up for good - jockey, Robbie Albarado oI - tonight and hold my head high O who'd been badly hurt in a spill @ for the rest of my life." @ at Churchill Downs that week. Holding his head high as Eddie Delahoussaye "Robbie's one of my best well this summer is Erath friends," Sellers told the Texas native Shane Sellers, 31, who crowd. "[He's] my favorite to as of early July was ranked watch, and I think he's the fifth nationally in season earn- future of horse racing. He'lI be (more -o here some day. I didn't tell any- ings than $6.1 million) :t and seventh by number of wins o-l one [ahead of time], but I ded- o (155). The names of two of the o icate this jockey championship o many stakes horses he's won c to Robbie, and I'm riding for -l1 on this year U Can Do It and am him." Yes It's True- are fitting The gesture was a magnani- -rlo phrases - accom- mous tribute to the fast-rising for Sellers' -oa o plishments, which included n Albarado, who's since recov- back-to-back wins in the a-l ered from the Churchill mishap Louisiana and Florida Derbies, z and is now riding at Saratoga. a and a prestigious triumph in the ll (He returned to racing on July 4 second annual NTRA All-Star xfl at Thistledown, with a six- Jockey Championships on Mark Guidry length win in the $100,000 8 Louisiana Horse Cleveland Gold Cup.) A prod- than $3.3 million so far this uct of Lafayette,'the 24-year- year (from a lifetime of nearly old Albarado was ranked $167 million). The Hall of fourth nationally in early July T Fame jockey who has logged C - by number of current-season - wins in two Kentucky Derbies, a- wins (160), and 7th by earn- v-l one Preakness, two Belmonts o ings (more than $5.2 million). m and seven Breeders'Cup races -0 His lifetime earnings have I was born and raised in New o-l - already galloped past the $25 o Iberia, where (like so many mark, no sign of @ Louisianan jockeys) he began million with @ slowing down. competing at the tender age of Some of Albarado's most Ronald Ardoin 10 aboard mixed breeds and stunning victories so far this Quarter Horses at the local bush season have been aboard the tracks. Albert Stall Jr. trainee Joyeux Delahoussaye said his most Dancer, on whom Albarado memorable win this year to date won his first Grade 1 outing. was the Grade 1, $400,000 San That the milestone occurred in Juan Capistrano Stakes at Santa a race run just prior to the Anita, "because I won it two Kentucky Derby at Churchill years in a row. And it's always (the $250,000 Early Times special when you win a big race Turf Classic) likely did little to like that." diminish Albarado's elation. As lor the trainers The pair's winning margins this Delahoussaye most enjoys o season have been sizeable: 3- working with right now, "Ron I 1/4 lengths in the Early Times, --l McAnally's put me on a lot of o 7-ll2lengths in the $500,000 winners, but actually, all the Iz Col. E.R. Bradley Stakes, six a trainers I ride for are special. In lengths in the Grade 3, Calvin Borel this business, some trainers will $350,000 Explosive Bid start to back off you a bit as you Stakes, and 5-l12lengths in the start to get older, even though $125,000 Breeders'Cup you have the experience. I don't Stakes. (The last three all took know why they do it, but I've place on familiar home soil at seen it happen to a lot of other Fair Grounds. where Albarado jockeys. So I think all my garnered the leading rider trainers right'now are outstand- title.) And elite trainers such ing." as Bill Mott have begun to Delahoussaye is also quick to -n offer Albarado rides on some Cr praise his home-state peers. - "Shane Sellers, he's young of their most prized a-t a ! Thoroughbreds. o man who's doing really good; m The next prominent ll Desormeaux's having a good T Louisianan in the national o year; then there's (Calvin) Borel o-1 jockey rankings is Eddie o and Albarado... @ Delahouss aye, 46, whose @ "Hey, there've been a lot of mounts have bankrolled more Marlon St. Julien top riders who've come out of Summer 1998 Louisiana over the years," more than $3.3 million, with Delahoussaye continued. "It's 116 wins. like a jockey production com- As for young Louisiana-born pany! Craig Perret, Ray jockeys who are on a steady Broussard, Ron Ardoin....And f rise, industry analysts have Ardoin's never left, you know? I pointed to Marlon St. Julien He probably would have done and Lonnie Meche. St. Julien o-! as well as anybody else if he'd m was the winning pilot in the left the state, but that's the thing I $200,000 Lone Star Handicap, 1ot d with a of the Cajun riders - rhe S100.000 Mesquite Mile they don't want to leave home! I Breeders' Cup Stakes (by an There are a bunch talented impressive 6-314 lengths on of Lonnie Meche jockeys there who will never Remember Ike) and the get a chance to show their true Grapevine Stakes, all at Lone abilities, because they don't Star. A 26-year-old native of want to leave." Lafayette, St. Julien has racked up nearly $2.2 million Someone who manages to race often at home as in season earnings and ridden more than 100 winners.