Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens was at Santa Anita Park's Clocker's Corner ahead of Thursday's 53rd annual Charity Basketball Game featuring Santa Anita jockeys versus Holy Angels Middle School. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at LaSalle High School in Pasadena, Calif.
Prior to game time, Stevens will be on hand to sign posters and other memorabilia along with fellow Hall of Famers Laffit Pincay Jr., Kent Desormeaux, Victor Espinoza, Mike Smith and John Velazquez. The autograph session starts at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds from the event are used to support Holy Angels Athletics and the Permanently Disabled Jockey's Fund.
Stevens flew in from Hot Springs, Ark. on Wednesday for the game, which was canceled the past two years due to COVID.
“It was important for me to be here,” Stevens said. “I've been involved with the jockeys and Holy Angels games since 1985. All this time has gone by and now my daughter is actually in the eighth grade at Holy Angels and will graduate to LaSalle next year. To be here to help sign autographs and other things raises a lot of money for the school and helps the jockeys.”
Stevens added he was a regular player in the basketball game when still an active jockey.
“I wasn't a great shooter, but I could handle the ball and was pretty quick,” he noted.
Prior to his retirement from the saddle in 2018, Stevens won 5,187 races including three Kentucky Derby's, three Preakness Stakes, three Belmont Stakes and 11 Breeders' Cup races.
Admission to the game is $5 and tickets can be purchased at the door.
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