 |
| |
|
NTRAU
|
Search the NTRA.com biography database for complete bio listings:
Browse:
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
K |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
R |
S |
T |
U |
V |
W |
X |
Y |
Z
| Kent Desormeaux |
Stats Updated Through: 11/19/2009
|
 |
| 2009 Stats: | | Starts | | 905 | | 1st-2nd-3rd | | 173-126-125 | | Earnings (Rank) | | $13,039,060 (4) | | Win % (In-The-Money %) | | 19% (46%) |
|
|
|
Top Associated Horses:
|
|
Summer Bird,
Mushka,
Gozzip Girl,
Dynaforce,
Mr. Sidney,
Banrock |
|
Biography, Highlights and Media:
|
|
- Height: 5’3”
- Weight: 116
- Born: Feb. 27, 1970, Maurice, La.
- Residence: Garden City, N.Y.
- Family: wife Sonia, sons Joshua and Jacob. Brother, Keith, is a trainer on the Texas-Louisiana circuit
- Racing Career: Finally broke through a personal and professional curse in 2009 when he won the Belmont Stakes with Summer Bird, after controversial losses with the Triple Crown on the line with Real Quiet in 1998 and Big Brown in 2008 ... Added the G1 Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup with the colt ... Through October 4 has won 33 stakes, 19 of them graded ... Among major wins in 2009 are Gozzip Girl in the American Oaks (G1), Mr. Sidney in the Maker's Mark Mile (G1), and two of three Grade 1's offered on Arlington Million day: the Beverly D. with Dynaforce, and the Secretariat Stakes with Take the Points ... Likes to win in clusters, as he also won two of three stakes, but not the headliner, on Colonial Downs' Virginia Derby (G2) day, taking the Virginia Oaks (G3) with Blind Date and the Kitten's Joy Stakes with RockabyBay.
- Through Oct. 4, 2009, Desormeaux ranked fourth in the nation by purses earned with $10,638,356 and 149 winners. He was winning at a 19% clip, finishing in the money 47% of the time.
- Earned his third Breeders' Cup victory in 2007 aboard Corinthian in the Dirt Mile. Has also won 1993 Turf with Kotashaan and the 1995 Sprint with Desert Stormer.
- Earned his third Kentucky Derby victory aboard IEAH Stables’ Big Brown in 2008. Won the 2008 Preakness aboard the Rick Dutrow Jr. trainee as well, before pulling the colt up in the Belmont Stakes, ending all hopes of a Triple Crown victory. Proceeded to win the G1 Haskell Invitational in August and Monmouth Stakes in September with Big Brown before he suffered a foot injury and was retired less than a month before the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
- In addition to his victories with Big Brown, has won four other Triple Crown events. In 1998, he won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes with Real Quiet then lost the Triple Crown sweep when they were nosed out by Victory Gallop in the Belmont Stakes. He also won the 2000 Kentucky Derby on Fusaichi Pegasus and the 2009 Belmont Stakes with Summer Bird.
- Joined the Churchill Downs jockey colony for his first full fall meeting in 2007, finishing fourth behind Julien Leparoux and fellow Cajuns Calvin Borel and Robby Albarado.
- Moved his tack to New York during the spring of 2006 and hired agent Mike Sellito after riding extensively in Japan in 2005. Since making the move, riding in New York during the spring and summer and in Florida in the winter, he has enjoyed a resurgence in his career.
- Elected to the Racing Hall of Fame in 2004.
- Spent 10 weeks in Japan, April through June of 2001, during which time he became the first foreign-based jockey to win a Japanese classic, with Lady Pastel in the Japanese Oaks. He not only won the JRA riding title in Tokyo, but he also won two grade 1s, won more races, and earned more purse money in two months than any other foreign jockey had riding three months. He returned to Japan in 2003 and continued his success, winning more than 30 races in the span of two months.
- At 30, became the third-youngest jockey, behind Bill Shoemaker and Chris McCarron (both 29 at the time), to win 4,000 races. The milestone win came aboard Temporary Appeal at Santa Anita on Jan. 14, 2001.
- In 1995, at age 25, he won his 3,000th race, the youngest jockey to ever reach that plateau. Two years later, at 27, he became the youngest jockey to surpass $100 million in career earnings when he won the Phillip H. Iselin Handicap at Monmouth Park with Formal Gold.
- Married his childhood sweetheart Sonia, and they headed to Southern California in 1990. With their first child on the way, Desormeaux was involved in a spill at Hollywood Park. Kicked in the head by a trailing horse, he fractured his skull in several places and had internal bleeding. Four days later Sonia went into premature labor and was at a hospital across town. Kent was moved and the two shared a hospital room while Kent recovered and Sonia gave birth. Their second son was born in 1999.
- Awarded three Eclipse Awards, one as outstanding apprentice in 1987 and two as a journeyman, in 1989 and 1992. One of only three riders to win in both categories, joining Chris McCarron and Steve Cauthen.
- Has won riding titles at Oak Tree, Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, Del Mar, Laurel, Pimlico and in Tokyo, Japan. One of four jockeys to win three consecutive national victory titles, 1987-1989.
- In 1989, shattered the record for victories in a year with 599, a mark which still stands. The old standard was 546, set by Chris McCarron in 1974.
- Began riding in 1986 at Evangeline Downs. Scored his first win aboard Miss Tavern at that track on July 13 of that year. Later in 1986, after having a taste of local success, he made the move to Maryland, where he became a national sensation. ... While still an apprentice, he led all jockeys in wins that year with 450.
Breeders' Cup Record| Starts | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Earnings | | 67 | 3 | 4 | 6 | $5,972,575 |
| 2008 | Filly & Mare Sprint | Dream Rush | 12th | | | Filly & Mare Turf | Mauralakana (Fr) | 6th | | | Juvenile Fillies | Dream Empress | 2nd | | | Juvenile Turf | Vaquero | 6th | | | Ladies' Classic | Carriage Trail | 4th | | | Mile | War Monger | 7th |
|
|
NOTE: Stats include North American and selected international races. Click here to view selected international race list.
Biographies on jockeys, trainers and owners are from the Breeders' Cup World Championships events from 2001 through 2009, and are intended as informational resources. Biographies will be updated if an individual is again a participant in the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Biographies are available for most horses appearing in the top 100 money earnings list, and/or for those who are frequently making headlines in the news starting with the 2006 Triple Crown season.
|
|
|
 |
|
|