Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Desormeaux looks to add another Big Cap to résumé
ARCADIA, Calif. – Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux has won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap twice in his career – aboard the famous gelding Best Pal in 1992, and a decade later on Milwaukee Brew for the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel.
If Desormeaux wins the $500,000 Big Cap for a third time aboard Stilleto Boy on Saturday, he will not only continue a remarkable comeback from recent personal setbacks, but also join Victor Espinoza and Bill Shoemaker as the only riders to win the historic race in at least three decades.
Shoemaker won the Big Cap a record 11 times in four decades from 1958 to 1985. Espinoza won the race in 2004, 2018, and last year with Express Train.
Desormeaux’s presence in the Big Cap is a turnaround from a tumultuous 2022 season in which he was sidelined from late January to mid-November after an arrest in Louisiana on a domestic abuse charge in January, and, as a result, a ban from riding at tracks owned by 1/ST Racing, notably Santa Anita.
Desormeaux later underwent alcohol rehabilitation and served suspensions for a 2021 altercation at an RV park at Del Mar and for two riding infractions from that year before he resumed riding at Del Mar last November. A few weeks later, Desormeaux was restored to good standing by 1/ST Racing officials.
In the last three months, Desormeaux has worked to rebuild his reputation as a topclass jockey. Through Sunday, he was tied for 10th in the standings at the Santa Anita winterspring meeting with eight wins from 46 mounts. All of the other riders above him in the standings had more mounts. Leader Juan Hernandez has won 39 races from 152 mounts.
Desormeaux knows Stilleto Boy well, having ridden the 5-year-old gelding in five stakes in the second half of 2021, including a second in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes and a third in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes.
The opportunity to gain a third career win in Santa Anita’s leading annual race for older horses is not lost on the veteran, who began riding in 1986 and turned 53 on Monday.
“I’m thrilled,” he said in a phone interview Sunday morning. “It’s come full circle.”
Desormeaux was scheduled to ride Stilleto Boy in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January 2022, but was arrested in the days before the race. Jose Ortiz rode Stilleto Boy to a third-place finish.
Later in 2022 and earlier this year, John Velazquez, Juan Hernandez, and Mike Smith rode Stilleto Boy. Smith was aboard the 5-year-old Stilleto Boy for a third in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 28, but is riding Hopper in Saturday’s race.
When that development occurred, trainer Ed Moger Jr. reconnected with Desormeaux.
“He’s the first one who told me he’s a good horse,” Moger said.
Owned by Moger’s brother Steve, Stilleto Boy was purchased for $420,000 at a horses in training sale in Kentucky in summer 2021.
Stilleto Boy has been in training at Golden Gate Fields and had his final workout on Saturday, going five furlongs in 1:02.80.
“He started off really slow,” Moger said. “He couldn’t be doing better, keeping his weight and his attitude. I like the way he’s moving on the track.”
Desormeaux, who has won the Kentucky Derby three times and has been honored with three Eclipse Awards, insisted Sunday that he should have three career wins in the Big Cap.
Desormeaux finished first aboard The Wicked North in 1994, only to be disqualified and placed fourth in a controversial decision that he says still stings.
Stilleto Boy is Desormeaux’s first mount in the Big Cap since 2019, and a win in the race at 1 1/4 miles would be an upset. The Big Cap field is led by Defunded, who was second in the Pegasus World Cup, and Newgrange, who won the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 28 at Santa Anita. Espinoza rides the longshot Parnelli.
After Saturday, Desormeaux hopes to gain more riding opportunities as the spring approaches, and a chance to move higher in the standings.
“Just give me the ammo,” he said.
Rispoli, Nakatani form team
Jockey Umberto Rispoli has hired Matt Nakatani to book his mounts beginning March 9, Nakatani said over the weekend.
Rispoli said earlier this month that he was parting ways with Tony Matos after a ninemonth relationship. Nakatani said he parted with Joe Bravo last week to begin working on behalf of Rispoli and continue booking rides for Mario Gutierrez.
Bravo’s plans were not immediately clear Sunday. He did not return a phone call and a text message seeking comment.
Through Sunday, Bravo and Rispoli were tied for 10th in the jockey standings with eight wins. Bravo has ridden 53 races, while Rispoli has ridden 73 since the season began Dec. 26.