Jockey Corey Nakatani Faces Misdemeanor Battery Charge

Jockey Corey Nakatani is facing a misdemeanor battery charge related to an incident in September, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

The District Attorney's Office would not comment on the details of the case because it is ongoing, but a spokesman for the office confirmed the charge and said Nakatani entered a plea of not guilty Nov. 16. According to records from the Los Angeles County Superior Court in Alhambra, Calif., Nakatani has had three court hearings since the incident, and a "pretrial hearing" is scheduled Feb. 21 at the courthouse.

According to a police report from the Monrovia Police Department obtained by BloodHorse, the incident in question occurred Sept. 17 in Monrovia, Calif.

The police report states officers were called to a Trader Joe's grocery store in Monrovia "regarding a fight in progress" in the parking lot. When the officers arrived, they observed Robert Talbott "bleeding from his mouth," according to the report, and Talbott pointed toward Nakatani. Officers initially detained Nakatani but at the time did not arrest him.

Talbott told police an altercation began after a traffic incident. According to the report, Talbott said Nakatani's vehicle "attempted to merge into his lane" in the parking lot when Talbott honked his horn and Nakatani then "swerved to the right, and almost hit a nearby curb."

Talbott told police he then parked his vehicle in front of the Trader Joe's, and Nakatani followed him in his car. According to Talbott's account, Nakatani yelled, "You tried to kill my daughter." Talbott told police that Nakatani then "swung his left leg and kicked him in the right side of his stomach and punched him in the lips with his right hand."

Nakatani's account in the police report indicated it was Talbott who "cut him off" in the parking lot, "causing him to almost crash into a nearby curb." The police report stated Nakatani "said he followed (Talbott) and confronted him, stating, 'You could have almost hurt me and my daughter.'" According to the police report, Nakatani also said Talbott "flipped him off with his left and right middle fingers." The report stated, "Nakatani said, as Talbott approached him, he kicked Talbott with his leg to stop him."

According to the report, when officers asked Nakatani if he "punched or slapped Talbott," he said "no."

After statements were taken from both parties, according to the report, Talbott "completed and signed … a statement of private person's arrest against Nakatani," and Nakatani was arrested.

The police report says Talbott went to Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, Calif., but it does not indicate his condition after the hospital visit.

When reached via phone Feb. 1, Nakatani provided comment, although he later indicated his "attorney told (him) not to talk to anyone."

"I was in a parking lot, the guy did something, and I responded," Nakatani said. "And now he's trying to be a bully."

Nakatani was not riding in races at the time. He was severely injured during a spill Aug. 4 at Del Mar and has yet to return to riding. In a BloodHorse profile published Jan. 10, the jockey detailed the physical toll of his recovery, which he said is ongoing.