jockeys and substance abuse | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux is set to make his return to racing after a three month hiatus, according to Thoroughbred Daily News (TDN). This comeback is following Desormeaux's participation in a rehabilitation program at a local facility for substance abuse.

This is not the jockey's first trip to rehab in an attempt overcome substance issues. His most recent stint came in 2016. Desormeaux says that this three-month period has been his strongest effort yet.

“This one was not a resort. It was not a vacation. It was not intended to buy some time,” he said to TDN's Dan Ross. “I learned a lot about myself and came back to reality. There's a lot of people who certainly care about me, love me and they were deeply concerned.”

Desormeaux's return to Santa Anita to ride for his brother, Keith Desormeaux, comes with some strict requirements concerning his sobriety. One of those requirements is having to undergo routine testing for narcotics and alcohol. He told Ross that this testing schedule allows no room for slipping up without getting caught.

Desormeaux will make his first start back in race three at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, 2020.

Read more at throughbreddailynews.com.

The post ‘I Learned A Lot About Myself’: Desormeaux Makes A Return To Racing After Rehab appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Daily Racing Form has reported that Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux is in the midst of an in-patient treatment program for alcohol abuse, and that the program is the most intensive program he has been a part of thus far.

Desormeaux's highly successful career has been comparatively erratic in recent years, and the rider has made no secret of his struggles with alcohol. Most recently, he was suspended following an incident at Del Mar when, according to a California Horse Racing Board complaint, he got into a physical altercation with a TVG cameraman while intoxicated and shouted repeated racial slurs at the man. The Form reports he has completed his suspension for that incident but the CHRB's ruling also required him to be evaluated by the Winners Foundation, a California-based organization that works with backstretch workers battling addiction.

Desormeaux checked himself into Pasadena's Impact House Oct. 1 and is scheduled to complete his program in mid-December. After that, he will be part of a sober living program for 60 days and continue with outpatient treatment for six months.

Tag: jockeys and substance abuse

‘I Learned A Lot About Myself’: Desormeaux Makes A Return To Racing After Rehab

Kent Desormeaux Completing In-Patient Treatment For Alcohol Abuse; Hopes To Return To The Saddle Dec. 26