Frankie Dettori has announced he will end his two-year stint in the US after the main card of the 2025 Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar, California on Saturday, before “concluding my career with a few rides in South America, something I’ve always wanted to do”.
The 54-year-old jockey first announced his retirement in December 2022, saying he would take his final rides at the 2023 Breeders’ Cup, but subsequently decided to move to the lucrative US circuit instead. He has enjoyed two successful seasons, initially on the west coast and more recently from a base in Florida, and will now bow out in a prestigious meeting at the end of a career that started as a teenager in Italy.
In a statement Dettori said: “It has been an honour to compete at the highest level of this sport for over four decades. I’m deeply grateful to my family, the owners, trainers, stable staff and, of course, the supporters who have made my career possible.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this incredible journey. Ciao, Frankie.”
His place in racing history was assured as early as September 1996, when he rode all seven winners on a valuable card at Ascot. He was also associated with a series of champions during a 20-year tenure as the No 1 jockey to Sheikh Mohammed’s powerful Godolphin operation.
In more recent years, he was the regular partner of the dual Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Enable and the outstanding stayer Stradivarius.
Four years after his “Magnificent Seven” at Ascot, Dettori was involved in a plane crash at Newmarket in which his pilot was killed. He was banned for six months in 2012 after testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine while riding in France. More recently, it emerged that he was filing for bankruptcy, having been unable to reach an agreement with HMRC over a long-running tax-avoidance case.
after newsletter promotion
Quick Guide
Greg Wood’s Friday tips
Show
Uttoxeter 12.25 La Conquiere 12.55 Heeztheboy 1.25 Just Golden 1.55 Maximum Offers 2.30 The Long Walk 3.05 Junker D’Allier 3.40 Tigers Moon 4.15 Plains Drifter
Newmarket 12.40 Opera Wave 1.10 Man Of Vision 1.40 Thunder Star 2.12 Spicy Marg (nap) 2.47 Castle Rock 3.22 Play Me 3.57 Hibernate
Wetherby 12.47 The Four Sixes 1.17 Blue Carpet 1.47 High Dancer 2.20 Ammes 2.55 Thistle Ask (nb) 3.30 Princess Milania 4.05 Duel Au Soleil
Southwell 4.10 Betelgeuse 4.45 Lady Milton 5.15 Caballo Grande 5.45 Lakers 6.15 Juno Star 6.45 Desert Spring 7.15 Al Arbeed 7.45 Tonal 8.15 Back From Dubai
While it remains to be seen which runner in South America is Dettori’s last ride in public, his final start at Grade One level will be aboard the Japanese-trained Argine in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at 11.05pm GMT on Saturday.
His other rides over the two-day meeting are Aspect Island (9.45pm) in the Juvenile Turf Sprint and Imaginationthelady (11.05pm) in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf on Friday, and Wimbledon Hawkeye (9.41pm) and Khaadem (7.41pm) in the Turf Sprint on Saturday.
About the Author
