Notes on a Scorecard - April 1, 1993

When Kent Desormeaux became a jockey, his ambition was to ride like Pat Day to the quarter pole and Angel Cordero from there home. . . .

Seven years later, others are trying to emulate Desormeaux from start to finish. . . .

The press-box regulars at Santa Anita are not easy to impress, but many of them say they have never seen a rider move a horse up like the 23-year-old Cajun from Maurice, La. . . .

He is a standout in the best jockey colony in America, won the Eclipse Award and national money-winning title last year, and set a national record of 598 victories in 1989 on the Maryland circuit. . . .

What he really wants, though, is to win the feature race at Churchill Downs the first Saturday in May. . . .

“Even if the purse was zero, every rider would still rather win the Kentucky Derby than the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” Desormeaux said. . . .

He finished third on Pleasant Tap in 1990, after being out of the money on Purdue King in 1988, and probably will ride either Devoted Brass or Diazo May 1 in Louisville. . . .

Desormeaux will be aboard Devoted Brass, the San Rafael Stakes winner, in the Santa Anita Derby Saturday. . . .

Desormeaux’s original choice was River Special, the former future book favorite whose progress was slowed by injuries and who might be primed, instead, for the Preakness by trainer Bob Hess. . . .

Of course, River Special’s ailments have been mild compared to those of his rider. . . .

Desormeaux suffered multiple skull fractures when he was thrown by his mount, Judge Hammer, and kicked in the head by another horse last December at Hollywood Park. It was touch-and-go for a while that night in the hospital. Miraculously, he was back on the job six weeks later. . . .

“I wasn’t scared about riding when I returned, “ he said. “My style didn’t change one bit. I didn’t want people to think I was chicken. I had to convince them.” . . .

It didn’t take long. In his first race Jan. 22 at Santa Anita, he scraped paint to win a mile race on the turf aboard mare Shrewd Vixon. The dirt biker, skier and water skier had remained fearless. . . .

What else makes Desormeaux, who has been around horses since he was born and began riding at 13 at a bush track in Louisiana that was owned by his father, so exceptional? A terrific athlete who wanted to grow up to be a basketball player and can do everything on a court at 5 feet 3 except dunk, he has an uncommon sense of pace, is a student of past performances and understands the personality and tendencies of his mounts like perhaps no other rider. . . .

“I won’t make a horse do what he doesn’t want to,” Desormeaux said. “I let him be comfortable. Like Pat Day says, sometimes you just have to be a great passenger.” . . .

The man who used to be called “Pee Wee” is well-spoken, animated, engaging, handsome and the proud papa of 3 1/2-month-old Joshua. He couldn’t have come along at a better time for a sport that is badly in need of great performers and interesting people. . . .

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Dr. Dallas Long, who testified in the Rodney King civil rights case Tuesday, is the former USC shotputter who won the 1964 Olympic gold medal. . . .

The last time I looked, Michael Jordan was leading the NBA in scoring, but his chances of repeating as most valuable player are zilch. . . .

The Lakers will be better when Doug Christie’s enthusiasm becomes contagious. . . .

After all these years, the Clippers still don’t have a decided edge in crowd support when they play the Lakers at the Sports Arena. It might take a championship banner hanging from the rafters to change things. . . .

George Foreman, who has pitched everything from hot dogs to mufflers, recently was approached by a menswear company. “I wouldn’t mind doing the T-shirt or socks commercials, but I don’t know about the drawers,” he said. . . .

This could be an exceptional Final Four, but there is no reason for those who, at the start of the NCAA tournament, picked Kentucky to defeat North Carolina for the championship to change their minds about the Wildcats winning the title.