5000th Win for Desormeaux
Sunday, the 27th of July 2008, was a special race day for Kent Desormeaux, as he waited in the starting gates for the seventh race of the day at the Saratoga Racecourse, aboard Bella Attrice. Little did he know, he was on his way to winning his 5000th racing event, and setting a new milestone in his horse racing career, as one of the top jockeys in the industry. But as Bella Attrice started to thunder down towards the finish line, after opening more than a two length gap between them and the rest of the field, everyone knew, Kent Desormeaux was heading for his 5000th victory.
At the age of thirty eight, Kent Desormeaux has a very distinguished career to look back on, and a successful future ahead. He enjoyed his very first win on 13 July 1986, at Evangeline Downs and in 1989, Desormeaux set a new record, for having 599 wins in one year. He also received his second Eclipse Award in the same year, with his first Eclipse being given to him in 1987 and his third in 1992. He reached his 3000th mark in 1995, at the age of twenty five and in 2001 Kent Desormeaux landed his 4000th victory at the Santa Anita Racecourse.
During his time as a jockey, and amongst his victories, there are a few moments that stand out from the rest, such as his first Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes wins in 1998, and this year, on Big Brown, he won both again. Other spectacular events included the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 1993, the Breeder’s Cup Sprint in 1995 and the Breeder’s Cup Dirt Mile in 2007. He has also raced in many destinations across the world such as Tokyo and Japan and has seen almost every racecourse in America. In 2004, Kent Desormeaux was immortalized in the annals of horse racing, by being inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.
Being only the twenty third jockey in North America, to reach the number of 5000 wins is a spectacular achievement, and there are still many years of racing lying ahead for this superb jockey. He has been a part of some of the biggest racing events, ridden some of the best horses on the planet and celebrated many heart stopping victories, but still enjoys the thrill of riding a good race, and bringing out the best in the athletes he is handed. No doubt that everyone will be waiting patiently and enthusiastically, to celebrate the next milestone in his career, with him.
