Hall of Fame rider Kent Desormeaux, who has pocketed over 6,000 career wins, will return home to Louisiana to ride the winter meet at Fair Grounds. This will be Desormeaux’s first time riding full time in Louisiana since 1986, before shipping to Maryland where he would go on to be an Eclipse Award winning apprentice at 16 years old.
At 25 years old, Desormeaux became the youngest rider to reach 3,000 wins, and in 1997 at age 27 he was the youngest jockey to surpass $100 million dollars in career earnings.
Earlier this year in January, Desormeaux became one of only eighteen other riders who have crossed over 6,000 career wins.
Desormeaux, now 49, still has goals to achieve and hopes that a winter at Fair Grounds can kick start his riding once again,
“Instead of waiting I figured I’ll take it into my own hands and it won't matter what they do in California,” Desormeaux said Thursday morning. “I was looking for more opportunity. The move was easy just because there is so much upside at Fair Grounds. Getting to ride 10 horse fields and having more mounts is a satisfying relief,” Desormeaux said.
Desormeaux, born and raised in Maurice, Louisiana, also looked to his brother, Keith Desormeaux, for an opinion on his move,
“Just talking with Keith one day I mentioned I was thinking of coming back home to Louisiana,” said Kent. “Keith said if I were willing to make the move, he would send some horses here and I would ride for him all winter. I didn’t have a plan, I just knew I wanted to come home and ride and Keith was more than willing to support me,” Desormeaux explained.
Desormeaux also has long time ties with Ron Faucheux and one of Faucheux’s owners, Jeff Picard.
“Jeff Picard initiated the move,” Desormeaux explained. “When i was 13 I would ride horses in his backyard. I’ll ride for him and it's good to show all of the other trainers that im boots on the ground and ready to work. I'm really happy to be here,” said Desormeaux.
Desormeaux is named to ride six races on opening day November 28 at Fair Grounds, (Race 2, Magic Vow, Race 4 Nicky’s Guitar, Race 5 Britt’s A Closer, Race 6 Confederate Yell, Race 8 Killeen, and Race 9 Gold Czar)
