The (approx) 116 Pound Gorilla in the Room

[richiebee]

All right Experts, T-generates, Skeptics and Kool Aid Drinkers...

WAKE UP its Belmont Stakes Festival Week.

Unfortunately, whatever mainstream press coverage is devoted to this weekend\'s
proceedings at Belmont Park will likely center on Kent Desormeaux and his
drinking problems; this is a shame because it will detract from the attention
which should be paid to some world class equine athletes who will be
performing this weekend, such as hard knocking sprinter Private Zone (entered
in the True North on Friday) and Flintshire, who as best as I can tell will
run in the Manhattan on Saturday.

It is difficult to discuss alcoholism without remembering Detective Lenny
Briscoe\'s statement: \"Alcohol--some people swim in it, other people drown in
it\". Kent Desormeaux\'s problems with alcohol have been well documented. He has
checked himself in for rehab/detox, but people who know more about this than
me say this is a process which takes at least a month (and in all honesty, a
lifetime). Desormeaux is named on a Wesley Ward mare in the Intercontinental
Stakes on Thursday; Desormeaux is scheduled to work the Belmont favorite on
Tuesday.

I guess the biggest question is whether and how the stewards will intervene
here. The most severe action they could take would obviously be to rule him
off NYRA tracks until he is clean and sober; less severe would be to subject
him to enhanced (out of competition?) sobriety testing, probably beginning
before he climbs aboard for the Tuesday work.

On Friday May 18, 2012, Desormeaux failed a breathalyzer test at Belmont and
was taken off his mounts that day. He lost the mount on Tiger Walk in the
Preakness that Saturday (and was replaced with Castellano on Dullahan in the
Belmont), but the NYRA stewards permitted him to accept 3 mounts that Sunday,
May 20. At that time the stewards put no conditions or restrictions on
Desormeaux\'s return, other than taking the same breathalyzer test which is
administered to all jockeys each day at NYRA tracks.

An interesting question would be how much influence other Belmont Stakes
riders, trainers and owners have on the stewards and the way the situation is
treated. In a brazen display of gamesmanship, could Belmont Stakes
owners/trainers/jockeys convince the stewards that they feel unsafe with
Desormeaux on the track, forcing stewards to lean towards ruling Desormeaux
off?

Desormeaux has ridden Exaggerator in all but two of his races (Flavien Prat
was aboard for Exaggerator\'s first lifetime start and Junior Alavarado rode
EX to his 2YO win in the Saratoga Special) and the sad truth is that
Desormeaux has probably been impaired for some or all of his rides on
Exaggerator.

No matter how it plays out, you have to hope that Kent Desormeaux gets the
help and support he needs to find happiness somewhere other than at the bottom
of the bottle.

[mlnolan00]

I was thinking this same thing (though doubtful I could\'ve stated it more elegant and tactful than you did).  Such a difficult scenario dealing with an athlete who\'s also an addict and I can\'t even begin to imagine the stress and conflict that comes with the pressure to perform combined with trying to (once again) dry out.

As one who\'s played sports their whole life as well as been around substance abusers and their struggle to not use I can\'t help but wonder if it\'s in his best interest to go ahead and say he needs to focus on himself right now and take off the mount.  I mean, imagine if Exaggerator loses and the questions that would be asked (perhaps unfairly) about Kent\'s focus, health/fitness, and mental state coming into a race with the heft and rigor of the Belmont Stakes.  That type of scrutiny alone could be a potential relapse trigger.

It\'s his decision and I won\'t pretend to know what\'s best for Kent or how he\'s coping.  I will though hope he and his family are getting the support and help they need to get through this and that Kent has the tools to get healthy and find peace.

[miff]

Stewards in tough spot.Many millions at stake and safety of jocks and horses.NYSGC also looking at this. Imagine the blowback if Kent does something to cause an incident in Belmont.

[boardedup]

If he passes the breathalyzer on race day, what possible issues can they face?  He\'d be sober at that point?
 
The argument that he might not be focused, in his best shape, or as sharp as he could be shouldn\'t matter what so ever.  There is a litany of reasons this could be the case for any jock on any given day, thus leading to a potential \"incident\" on the track.

should the stewards step in if a jockey had a brutal fight with his wife?  What if he torched off a ton of money in the casino?  A child feel deeply ill?  There are many reasons someone may not be at their best.  

To punish a man for being drunk a week or two or three prior is ridiculous in my opinion.  If he passes the test, he should ride, (assuming that\'s what the connections want) end of story.

[bobphilo]

Agree, if he is sober, passes the breathalyzer test on race day and shows no signs of neurological impairment he posses no risk.
The bigger issue for him is whether he is really dealing with his drinking problem or just trying to be sober so he can ride in the Belmont. The week he says he will spend in rehab is a joke since no rehab happens in a week. That\'s just detox. He says he will have someone stay with him 24/7 to make sure he stays sober. How long will that last?
AA not withstanding, removing the alcohol is not the ultimate solution. Drinking is only a symptom. Removing the demons that make him drink is the only solution. For that he is going to need some very intensive therapy. I can only hope he takes that important step.

[Dana666]

There is no way the Stewards can allow him to ride; doesn\'t matter whether he might pass a test on Saturday. Checking into rehab indicates a myriad of serious issues all coming to fruition in a perfect storm of sorts. He should just man up and say he\'s not riding, not the nonsense I heard on ESPN yesterday--(the host said this, I can\'t say for sure Kent said it) that he\'s checking out Saturday to ride and then going back to rehab. If I were fan of Exaggerator, I wouldn\'t worry about losing Kent as rider as there are many fine replacements waiting in the wings, I\'m sure--just hope he gets the perfect set up he needs as in all the other big races he\'s won--suicidal pace in SA Derby, slop and insane fractions in Preakness, coupled with an infection in Nyquist! If he gets the dream trip-set-up he can win; he\'s pretty honest as a racehorse. He\'ll do what he does.I\'ll be looking at some new shooters in the Belmont. I\'ve not been impressed with this year\'s 3 year-olds thusfar; I\'m thinking some new stars will emerge on the scene. And maybe we can find some value along the way! Best of luck to all of you--hope you make a nice score on Saturday\'s monstrously great card. get your sheets and get to work as soon as the PP\'s come out.

[Dana666]

The cards on Friday and Saturday are insane! Like a Bhttp://www.horseracingnation.com/probables/probables.aspx#reeder\'s cup on steroids!

[jimbo66]

Dana,

i wish there was exchange wagering on your first sentence.  \"No way he is allowed to ride\".

He will ride (if sober).  Book it.

RichieBee

I have a soft spot for Kent D., or anybody that occasionally goes too far with a vice, because many of us that gamble can occasionally cross that line (difference being gambling mostly self destructive, drunk driving or drunk horse riding endangers others). That said, the stewards in California say that he has taken a breathalyzer every single day he rides and has passed every time.  So, assuming we take that as fact, we have a guy with a drinking problem who is getting drunk \"after hours\" and not doing it at his job and he checks himself into a clinic to get help.  I can\'t see how NYRA can step in and say \"you aren\'t welcome here\".  

Jim

[Dana666]

What do I really know? Seems like a no-brainer to me. But racing stewards make all kinds of interesting decisions in these types of matters. How can he say he\'s in a rehab facility and then check out for an afternoon? The bottom line is I don\'t think this affects the horse one way or another. I wish Kent the best either way. Like you alluded to in your post, I, too, have a soft spot for these kind of things. I\'m no one to throw any stones that\'s for sure.

[heatherk]

Agree +1 Jimbo66 well said spot on.

[miff]

Guess Kent out of rehab early

Mike Welsch:

\"Exaggerator 5/8\'s 1:00.92 bore out 5-6 paths wide into stretch was under bit of urging to finish did gallop out strong in 1:12.91 Kent D up\"

Others observing work thought it was very strong.

[Dana666]

Well, that settles it then. The shortest rehab in history!

[TempletonPeck]

This story says that Desormeaux was going to have one of the people from the rehab center travel with him to NY so that he could work and ride Exaggerator:

\"Desormeaux will return to New York in time to ride Exaggerator in the Belmont Stakes, and will likely be aboard the son of Curlin for his scheduled workout on Tuesday morning. Despite only eight days spent in a rehab facility in Utah, a representative will accompany the jockey across the country for the next 20 days, keeping him on track.\"

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/people/desormeauxs-plan-defeat-alcoholism-will-put-body-motion-stay-busy/

[Leamas57]

I am sure he had a \"relapse.\"  This is pretty typical--especially after a major achievement; it creates a sense of entitlement. Even though he made have only \"gone out\" a night or two, causing little physical damage, it can have an effect psychologically: the chemical effect of alcohol on the body acts like a computer virus on the mind and messes with the programming for a while.

I got sober 22 years ago, and know that relapses are common enough. He may not have quite as much confidence as a result. It\'s difficult and not very appropriate to project on others, but I saw it happen to myself and so many others that I thought I would throw my hat into this ring.

Leamas