Dettori cancels retirement, will ride full time in U.S.
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Jockey Frankie Dettori has put retirement on hold and is planning to ride in the U.S. full time in 2024.
Dettori, 52, confirmed his plans on racing commentator Nick Luck’s podcast Wednesday night.
“I want to carry on a little bit longer in California, where I had such a lovely winter,” Dettori told Luck. “The dynamic of my year has changed so much. If I wasn’t riding any winners or not riding in the big races it would have made my decision much easier but at this point I’m still feeling good and I got to get it out of my system.”
Dettori plans to ride his final day in England in Saturday’s Champions Day at Ascot. He could ride in some other big international races in Australia or Hong Kong, but the plan is for him and his wife, Catherine, to move to Los Angeles and he will ride at Santa Anita, which hosts the Breeders’ Cup Nov. 3-4 and will ride there this winter.
Dettori said he would like to ride the big nights in Saudi Arabia and Dubai, but “the dream is to find a horse for the Kentucky Derby.”
Dettori’s only ride in the Derby came in 2000 when he finished eighth aboard China Visit.
Dettori was noncommittal on how much longer he planned to ride, but didn’t sound as though he was planning to hang his tack up anytime soon.
“I’m committing to full time there, I’m not just doing the winter,” he told Luck.
Following the Santa Anita meet, Dettori said he would look to ride the spring in Kentucky and perhaps the summer at Saratoga or Del Mar.
“I want to travel, Kentucky, Florida, Saratoga, Del Mar, that’s what I want to do, that’s what excites me,” Dettori said. “I’m going into unchartered waters.”
Last winter, Dettori began his planned farewell tour at Santa Anita, where he rode 26 winners from 144 mounts, good enough for third in the standings. He had a few rides at Gulfstream, Keeneland, and Belmont, his last ride in the U.S. coming in May.
Dettori’s decision to return to riding this year was fueled by his success during the summer in Europe, where he won the English 2000 Guineas on Chaldean, the Epsom Oaks on Soul Sister, the Coronation Cup on Emily Upjohn, and the Juddmonte International on Mostahdaf.
“I probably had as good year in big wins as I had in the past and I still feel good physically and I’m still getting the big rides in the big races,” Dettori said. “I got to get it out of me.”
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