Racing followers do not want the in a single day to study the jockey on the Keith Desormeaux-trained Oviatt Class in the $2 million TVG Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) Nov. 5 at Del Mar. It is Keith’s brother, Kent.
“As I informed you and I inform everyone else, I’ve bought no alternative whereas my mom’s nonetheless residing,” quipped Keith.
One liners apart, Keith would not need it in a different way. Ask him to touch upon Kent, and he’s fast to reward his youthful sibling, who resumed driving over the winter after addressing repeat alcohol abuse. Final summer season within the Del Mar space, he was concerned in a bodily altercation after consuming and was additionally accused of utilizing a racing epithet—actions that led the observe to bar him from driving for the remainder of its summer season meet.
Since going into rehab and returning through the winter meet at Santa Anita Park, Kent has skilled a bounce-back of types, successful 42 races from 295 mounts this yr, larger than his full-year totals in 2020 and 2019. His mounts have additionally made greater than $2.6 million, additionally his highest tally over the previous three years.
Although these figures don’t rival his numbers from his Eclipse Award-winning years in 1989 and 1992 or through the seasons when he received Triple Crown occasions, however they’re a transfer again in the precise path for the 51-year-old Cajun-born rider.
“He is within the Corridor of Fame for a motive,” Keith mentioned. “He is bought impeccable timing and a present for horses giving him their greatest. I do not know, I believe that is an innate factor you can’t simply develop, or you possibly can’t simply decide up. He is blessed with that. However he is additionally cursed with alcoholism.
“He is aware of it; everyone knows it. It is a fixed battle. I am pleased with him for making an attempt to handle these demons. He does appear to be on a little bit of a comeback proper now.”
Watch: Keith Desormeaux Seeks Another Juvenile Victory with Oviatt Class
It is not simply his brother that has taken discover. Kent has 4 rides within the Breeder’s Cup between the occasion’s two days, the primary time he has ridden within the two-day occasion since 2018. He has received six Breeders’ Cup races over his profession, the final of his winners coming in 2017 on Peter Miller-trained Roy H in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
Kent expressed reluctance to discuss his recovery in an interview.
“It is what it is. I’ve got that under control,” he said. “I’ve not even going to talk about it. I’m just going to act upon it. All you can do is look at me, and you can see the difference.”
Kent Desormeaux has battled alcoholism for years but is currently in recovery
He is more eager to look toward the future and his return to Breeders’ Cup competition.
“This is the level you want to play the game at,” he said. “Being a competitor on Breeders’ Cup weekend provides proof that you still have that proper status.”
Oviatt Class works at Oct. 23 at Santa Anita Park
Win or lose in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, where Oviatt Class is a 20-1 longshot on the morning line, that race is proof of something else —that Keith has a shrewd eye at horse auctions. Keith said he bought Oviatt Class for $60,000 at the September Yearling Sale at Keeneland last year. DC Racing was the buyer of record from the Stuart Morris consignment.
Oviatt Classic, a son of Bernardini owned by James Downey and bred by Godolphin & Morgan’s Ford Farm in Virginia, has already made back his purchase price, having made $87,620 in compiling a 1-0-2 record in four starts. After breaking his maiden in a route Aug. 27 at Del Mar, he closed from last to be third in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita last month beyond fellow Juvenile entrants Corniche and Pappacap.
“That Santa Anita track was playing to speed, very much so—not only in my opinion (but) from the pundits and other trainers—that the track was hard to close on,” Keith said. “And he made a hell of a kick in grade 1 race. To make up that kind of ground on good horses, and we’re adding a little more distance here.”
Keith’s 2016 Preakness winner Exaggerator was also a reasonably priced yearling buy at Keeneland for $110,000, Texas Red his 2014 Juvenile winner, a fraction of that at $17,000.
“My mission has always been getting the ones under the radar,” Keith said.
Kent also teamed with Keith and rode Exaggerator and Texas Red, guiding them to their signature victories.
“Kent’s in a good place, and he loves ‘Oviatt,” Keith said. “He loves the fact that we get to work together, especially at this time in our lives. And it’s fun. It adds to the intrigue.”
“Every horse is a ‘house horse’ when we race together. I feel like they’re mine,” added Kent.
