Frankie Dettori rides at his 30th Breeders’ Cup in Keeneland later this week after revealing a new twist to his stellar career will come in the US afterwards.
The most famous figure in European racing plans to ride in California this winter and hasn’t ruled out extending his stay if managing to secure the ride on a good Kentucky Derby prospect.
A major meeting at Santa Anita in Los Angeles begins on St Stephen’s Day and Dettori plans to be there.
“I’ve been doing my winters in Dubai the last few years but this opportunity came, I’m getting a lot of requests to come over from trainers, so I thought why not give it a go. It’s a place I’m a big fan of and I’m very fond of Santa Anita,” he reported on Monday.
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“I will start riding on the opening day, which is Boxing Day, with some amazing races and spend a good chunk of the winter.
“If you’re going to do it, do it properly – that’s why I’m starting on the first day. And who knows, I many find a nice three-year-old who heads to Churchill Downs for the first Saturday in May.
“I’ve left all my options open and, you never know, things can take a different path,” added Dettori who will base himself in LA and travel to other meetings including February’s Saudi Cup.
The move puts fresh doubt on the future of Dettori’s relationship with the John and Thady Gosden team.
A high-profile split during the summer, or ‘sabbatical’ as it was put by John Gosden, lasted only a matter of weeks before the partnership was restored. Dettori will ride Gosden’s Mishriff in Saturday’s Turf race at the Breeders' Cup.
However, the Italian’s new US venture could spell the formal end of one of racing’s most successful collaborations of the last decade.
The Kentucky Derby is run on the same day as the 2,000 Guineas in Newmarket, the first Classic of the season in Europe.
Dettori, who turns 52 in December, has dismissed speculation about retirement and insisted he will continue to ride through 2023. He hasn’t, though, predicted plans beyond that.
Having ridden in Australia at the weekend, the Italian superstar moves on to Kentucky where he will attempt to improve on his Breeders’ Cup record of 14 previous winners at US racing’s $31 million showpiece event.
Only US based riders Mike Smith, Johnny Velazquez, Jerry Bailey and Joe Rosario have ridden more Breeders' Cup winners.
Dettori first struck 28 years ago on Barathea in the Mile and will team up with the favourite Kinross in the same race on Saturday. Other mounts he can look forward to includes the Canadian pair Moira (Filly & Mare) and Last Call (Juvenile Fillies’ Turf.)
Aidan O’Brien will try to improve on his own record of 13 Breeders’ Cup winners at Keeneland. The Irishman is odds-on in some betting lists to secure one winner or more from his runners, which include the fancied Meditate in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf on Friday.
It is 6-5 with Powers about Irish and British yards winning five or more of the 14 Breeders’ Cup races up for grabs over the two days.
Separately, the Irish jumps season takes a significant jump in tempo on Saturday with the first Grade One of the campaign.
Down Royal’s festival of racing starts on Friday but it is the following day’s €150,000 Ladbrokes Champion Chase that sees the first top-level clash.
Gordon Elliott is chasing a fifth win in the race and last year’s runner-up Galvin could once again take on the cross-channel star Frodon who edged him out in a memorable finish in 2021.
“We will have plenty of runners at Down Royal on Friday and Saturday. Conflated and Galvin will definitely run in the Grade One on Saturday,” Elliott said on Monday.
Conflated sprang a 16-1 shock in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last February but it is Galvin who is a 6-4 favourite in some ante-post lists ahead of Tuesday’s latest acceptance stage.
The going at Down Royal was yielding to soft on Monday but with up to 22mm of rainfall forecast to fall at the course over the next couple of days.
