Kent Desormeaux In Rehab

[TJ]

Kent Desormeaux has not ridden in a race since finishing last on the favorite at Golden Gate Fields May 30th. It seems the troubled rider put himself into a short term alcohol rehab program according to his agent, Jim Pegram. He is scheduled to ride again this Thursday (6/9) at Belmont Park for trainer Wesley Ward. Hopefully he can get himself together prior to riding Exaggerator in the Belmont Stakes June 11th. TJ
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... fter-rehab

[Patuxet]

I'm amazed it's taken Desormeaux so long to get help since he's failed race-day breathalyzer tests on previous occasions. Last July at Del Mar he was removed from his mounts and there were similar incidents at Woodbine in 2010, Belmont Park in 2012 and Santa Anita in June 2014.

Following his positive test at Santa Anita, Desormeaux was fined $1,000 and ordered to undergo counseling and be available for Breathalyzer tests for 90 days. Yet today in The Blood-Horse Steve Haskin reports that Desormeaux has never been in rehab before, has attended only two Alcoholics Anonymous sequences of meetings and admitted he doesn't know exactly what an alcoholic is.

In his case an alcoholic is a potentially deadly threat to his fellow jockeys and the horses they ride. And wouldn't PETA just love to rake in the donations off an on-track accident like that! This sport desperately needs some Stewards with cohones.

[TJ]

Here's Mr. Haskin's article. It is unfortunate he had to be coerced by his family to enter that short term rehab program and didn't take this action on his own. He has been a functioning alcoholic for many years and needed to seek help on his own. Family intervention doesn't mean a thing if Kent isn't truly committed to make this happen. TJ
PS...Kent Desormeaux was on board Exaggerator this morning over Belmont Park's main track breezing 5/8ths of a mile in 100.92.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... ol-problem

[Patuxet]

Families and friends can only coerce and stage interventions, but once there's a DUI involved states have the power to demand treatment, rescind licenses and even enforce jail time. Don't racing jurisdictions, especially after repeat offenses and for the safety of all, have similar authority through Stewards to mandate: "Get help or lose your license to ride"? And if not, why not?