Jockey Frankie Dettori plans return to Santa Anita for winter meet

Frankie Dettori, arguably the most recognizable rider in the world, is joining the jockey roster at Santa Anita this winter.

Dettori rode briefly in Dubai last winter, and has not ridden at Santa Anita since the 2019 Breeders’ Cup. Dettori won four Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita from 2008 to 2016, and spent time at Santa Anita in the early years of his career.

Dettori is scheduled to arrive in California in the days before Christmas, according to agent Ron Anderson, who will represent the 51-year-old rider.

“He’s been my friend since he was a little kid,” Anderson said. “He brings enthusiasm and an energy to the business like no one we’ve ever seen.

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“I think he brings international people in. There will be people watching the racing to see how it goes.”

Dettori, the leading rider in the United Kingdom three times, has been closely allied with Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing for decades, although less so in recent years. In September, Dettori rode Nations Pride to a win in the Jockey Club Derby at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby.

Earlier this year, Dettori rode occasionally in Dubai, and won the $12 million Dubai World Cup for California-based trainer Bob Baffert aboard Country Grammer, and the $6 million Dubai Turf for English trainer John Gosden on Lord North in March.

Gosden and Dettori have had a massively successful partnership in recent years, although they split briefly earlier this year.

For Gosden, Dettori won two Group 1 races on the 3-year-old filly Inspiral in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in England in June, and the Jacques le Marois at Deauville, France, in August.

Last month, Gosden and Dettori teamed to win the Group 1 British Champions Filly and Mare Stakes with Emily Upjohn at Ascot.

The jockey’s room at Santa Anita this winter will look considerably different than the group that rode at the track’s autumn meeting, which ended on Sunday.

Dettori will be joined by Flavien Prat and John Velazquez, who have been riding at Aqueduct and will ride the Del Mar meeting that begins on Friday.

At Santa Anita, those jockeys will compete for leading mounts with riders such as Ramon Vazquez, Juan Hernandez, Umberto Rispoli, and Edwin Maldonado, the top four riders at Santa Anita through Sunday’s final day of the track’s autumn meeting.

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