Stevens is as handsome and well-spoken as jockeys come. A career in television or a gig as a pitchman seemed entirely plausible. But riding is his gift. Retirement offered no substitute. And the passion never went away.
Physical triumph is a powerful intoxicant for an athlete.
I love the thrill of competing and winning. I like to win, and I like the feeling it gives me. That's when Stevens sought medical help. That's when he began taking cortisone shots and was warned by his doctor that the future side effect likely would be arthritis and chronic pain. But a kid from Idaho who was gradually devouring the sport, wasn't about to hit the brakes worrying about his quality of life as an old man.