2024 Kentucky Derby: Dettori picks up mount on Society Man

Frankie Dettori will ride Wood Memorial runner-up Society Man in the Kentucky Derby, trainer Danny Gargan said Tuesday.

This will be Dettori's first Derby mount since 2000, when he rode China Visit to a sixth-place finish in the Run for the Roses.

"I'm excited to have him," Gargan said. "He's riding great. I know it's a race he wants to be in and a race he wants to win."

Dettori typically rides in Europe at this time of year but, after postponing retirement at the end of last year, he moved his tack to America beginning last December.

:: DRF Kentucky Derby Package: Save on PPs, Clocker Reports, Betting Strategies, and more.

Dettori rode 34 winners at the Santa Anita meet, including six consecutive winners on April 6.

Society Man will be a longshot in the Kentucky Derby but he ran a credible second at odds of 106-1 behind Resilience in the Wood at Aqueduct on April 6. He was ridden by Luis Rivera Jr. in that race.

Gargan said he has been pleased with how both Society Man and his other Derby candidate, Dornoch, have been training at Churchill Downs. Both horses galloped Tuesday morning and are scheduled to have their final workouts Saturday at Churchill.

As of Tuesday, Encino remained the only horse in the Derby top 20 points standings who doesn't have a confirmed rider.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.