Having been without a Santa Anita stakes mount since the Blue Norther on Dec. 30, Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux will get a pair of added money opportunities with long shots on Saturday.
In the Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual going 1 1/8 miles, Desormeaux has the call on Messier for Bob Baffert. Earlier on the card in the Grade 3, $200,000 Las Virgenes, Desormeaux will ride the maiden Sweet Trouble for trainer Phil D'Amato. Messier is the 6-1 fourth choice in the San Pasqual while Sweet Trouble is installed as the longest shot on Jon White's morning line at 12-1 in the Las Virgenes.
On Thursday at Clocker's Corner, Desormeaux duly noted Saturday's opportunities are partially the result of some Santa Anita-based jockeys, including Flavien Prat, John Velazquez, and Frankie Dettori, riding elsewhere on Saturday.
“It's my first start (this meet) for Baffert and I get to ride for Phil – maybe I should get the guys to leave more often,” Desormeaux said.
Desormeaux's only previous stakes ride this season at Santa Anita was a sixth-place finish aboard Naughty Lottie for his brother, trainer Keith Desormeaux, in the Blue Norther on Dec. 30.
Through the first 12 racing days of the Classic Meet, Desormeaux ranks 16th in the Santa Anita jockey's standings with three wins from 21 mounts, a 14 percent success rate. He has one mount on Friday and five on Saturday.
“While the big guys are gone it's good to give the little guy a chance,” joked Desormeaux, himself a three-time winner of the Kentucky Derby who was enshrined in the Racing Hall of Fame in 2004. “I'm going to take advantage of every opportunity I get.”
Desormeaux's three Kentucky Derby wins came aboard Real Quiet in 1998 for Baffert, Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000 and Big Brown in 2008.
The post Santa Anita: Kent Desormeaux Taking Advantage Of Longshot Stakes Opportunities While Several Jockeys Out Of Town appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
