Kent Desormeaux, suspended since March, hopes to resume riding

Jockey Kent Desormeux, who has been suspended since early March, could be on the comeback trail in California. The Hall of Famer is scheduled for a hearing before the Del Mar board of stewards on July 29 with the hopes of returning to the saddle.

Desormeaux has been suspended since March 4 after failing to appear at a stewards’ hearing the previous day to address an alcohol-related incident on Del Mar’s property last November. In the complaint filed by the California Horse Racing Board in January, it alleged Desormeaux “got into a disturbance at the RV park area of Del Mar.

“He was seen getting into an argument with his girlfriend and yelling causing a disturbance…where security had to respond to the location,” the complaint reads. It also noted Desormeaux “admitted to drinking alcohol throughout the year.”

A previous ruling against Desormeaux, who has a history of alcohol-related incidents, stipulated that he “abstain from using any kind of mood altering or mood changing substance” from Dec. 14 2020 through Dec. 26, 2021.

California Horse Racing board spokesman Mike Marten said the hearing "essentially" related to the January complaint. 

Prior to Desormeaux’s suspension, he was arrested in Louisiana on charges of domestic abuse and battery in late January. Roger Licht, Desormeaux’s attorney, told Daily Racing Form “no action has been filed” in Louisiana but officials have up to three years to do so.

“He sounds great and very anxious to get back to work,” Licht told DRF.

Desormeaux has not ridden since Jan. 23 at Santa Anita. The 52-year-old has won 6,116 races in North America, which includes three Kentucky Derby’s and seven Triple Crown events in all.