Keith Desormeaux | Horse Racing Free Tips

First Winner for Straight Fire Lights Up the Tote

Let go at debut odds of 52-1, Fourteeneightyfour (Straight Fire) became the first winner for his freshman sire (by Dominus) with a surprisingly easy victory in Monday's third race from Delaware Park.

The California-bred, who was entered for, but ultimately withdrawn from last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale, was last away from the inside gate, but recovered to be within a couple of lengths in the opening quarter-mile, which was timed in a sharp :22 flat. Taken to the outside for the run around the turn, he launched an eye-catching bid to inhale the front-runners nearing the top of the stretch and widened in hand to take it by nine impressive lengths in good time.

Fourteeneightyfour is one of 28 reported foals for Straight Fire, who earned 'TDN Rising Star' honors when decimating a field of Del Mar maidens by 10 1/4 lengths at second asking while stopping the clock in 1:14.92 for the 6 1/2 furlongs. Campaigned by Jim Rome's Jungle Racing LLC, the Roth family's LNJ Foxwoods, Kimberly Nish's KMN Racing and others and trained by Keith Desormeaux, Straight Fire would go on to complete the exacta behind Klimt (Quality Road) in the 2016 GI Del Mar Futurity and was third to Gormley (Malibu Moon) in the GI FrontRunner S. in what would become his final career appearance.

Fourteeneightyfour is the fifth starter for Straight Fire. Each of his previous four runners has been placed.

The stakes-winning It's High Time was acquired by Straight Fire LLC for $12,000 not pregnant to Bayern at Keeneland November in 2017. She missed to Straight Fire for 2020, but produced a Florida-bred colt by Copper Bullet this year. This is the extended female family of GI Vosburgh S. winner Black Seventeen (Is It True).

3rd-Delaware, $40,150, Msw, 7-5, 2yo, 5f, :58.62, ft, 9 lengths.
FOURTEENEIGHTYFOUR (c, 2, Straight Fire–It's High Time {SW, $234,040}, by Gone Astray) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $22,800. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Valentin Jimenez; B-Straight Fire LLC (CA); T-Baltazar Galvan.

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Street Boss Colt Sharp at Santa Anita

2nd-Santa Anita, $63,196, Msw, 5-9, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :52.04, ft, 4 lengths.
STREET ART (c, 2, Street Boss–Cool Jazz, by Henny Hughes) was backed down to 8-5 for this first outing and ran to the money to lead home a one-two for his sire. Quickly clear, the chestnut was chased by Bochombo (Street Boss) around the bend but was not for catching as he cruised home a convincing four-length winner. The winner is a grandson of MGISW I Ain't Bluffing (Pine Bluff), making his dam a half to GSW/MGISP two-turn dirt runner Acting Happy (Empire Maker) and to the dam of MGISW Go Google Yourself (Into Mischief). Cool Jazz produced a Mor Spirit colt in 2020 and a Munnings colt this term. Sales history: $37,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Rocker O Ranch, LLC; B-Steve Wilson (KY); T-J. Keith Desormeaux.

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

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.

Desormeaux Returns to Action After Rehab Stint

When racing returns to Santa Anita Dec. 26, it does so in a blitzkrieg of high-octane firepower, with races like the GI Malibu S., GI La Brea S. and GI American Oaks luring headline grabbers from across the country.

As things go, race three on the card–a $16,000 claimer–is a far less exulted companion to its starrier cousins. But the race contains its own prodigal return…that of Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux after a hiatus from the saddle. Still, it’s just the sort of low-key call to arms the jockey is looking for.

“It’s not something you get control of and go tell the world about your accomplishment,” said Desormeaux, of his newly established sobriety after a tumultuous six-month period culminating from decades of struggle.

“I can honestly say it’s been 25 years since I’ve been clean this long,” he said.

It was back in July that Del Mar management barred Desormeaux from the grounds following an off-site incident in which the jockey was accused of using a racial epithet in a fight.

The following September, the Del Mar stewards suspended the jockey for 15 days for “disorderly conduct–racial slurs, aggressive behavior.” He was also ordered to be evaluated by the Winners Foundation, which helps backstretch workers deal with substance-abuse problems, and “abide by the recommendations of that organization.”

Desormeaux explained that he subsequently enrolled in a three-month rehabilitation program at a local facility. It’s not the first time the jockey has sought professional help for his substance abuse issues–another stint was as recent as 2016. But this has been the most concerted effort yet, he said, to wrestle the demons under control.

“This one was not a resort. It was not a vacation. It was not intended to buy some time,” he said. “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.”

One of those family members who has proven resiliently loyal is his brother, trainer Keith Desormeaux, for whom the jockey has two mounts at Santa Anita Saturday and Sunday

“He has always had my best interest at hand,” said Desormeaux. “He has long told me that what I’ve just gone through was needed for quite some time. He’s not sticking by me just this weekend. He’s stuck by me through thick and thin before.”

Desormeaux explained that, as a condition of his license, he is required to undergo routine testing.

“I have a very restricted license,” he said. “I get tested often, and there’s not enough lapse of time for me to use ever. I can’t use at all. Not weekends. Not days off. At all.”

The plan moving forward is very simple, Desormeaux said. “Sticking to the program,” he said, in reference to both alcohol and narcotics anonymous meetings. “You know how they say, ‘you live to learn and learn to live?’ I’ve learned how to live, and now I can move on and live to learn.”

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