Frankie Dettori came on Louisville’s ESPN 680 with Bob Valvano during the races at Kentucky Downs Thursday. (John Salzman photo)
Dettori relishing first time riding at Kentucky Downs. And yes, we’ll see that flying dismount when the time comes!
“That’s the easy part. The hardest part is to try to win a race.”
By Jennie Rees
FRANKLIN, Ky. — Though Thursday’s meet opener was the first time that Frankie Dettori had ever ridden at Kentucky Downs, the international superstar said he’d been following the all-turf track’s racing for several years.
“I’ve been watching it the last three years, and I spoke to some of my colleagues— Jamie Spencer, who’s been here,” Dettori said of the jockey who came over England last year to win the $2 million Mint Millions (G3) on Ancient Rome. “This is our bread and butter for us, to ride on the grass. Yeah, I’m enjoying it. It’s what I expected.”
Dettori announced toward the end of 2022 that he’d be retiring at the end of 2023. Part of his farewell tour included California. Winning big races in both America and in Europe made Dettori realize he wasn’t ready to call it quits. With his kids grown, Dettori and his wife, Catherine, moved to America. That included riding the entire meet at Saratoga and now he’ll be riding all seven days at Kentucky Downs, the most lucrative meet in the U.S.
Dettori’s debut wasn’t what he’d hoped, finishing last. With the course well-watered, Dettori said the filly didn’t get the fast ground she coveted.
“This is my first full season here,” said Dettori, whose best finish in two other mounts was a fourth. “The reason I went to Saratoga was to gather a good team (of horses) to come here. I think I have a good team for the rest of the meet.”
He added with a laugh, “Now I just have to get the winners in. The team is here, now I just have to execute the wins.”
Dettori rides 7-2 program favorite Bellum Justum for the first time in Saturday’s $3.1 million DK Horse Nashville Derby (G3) for British trainer Andrew Balding.
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Dettori said of having the favorite. “He’s a solid horse. He finished seventh in the Epsom Derby, won one of the Derby trials. He got in a good race at Goodwood. He handles the distance well. I hope he shipped well, because he doesn’t live next door. He had to fly across the pond. So, fingers crossed that he’s in good health, and looking forward to a good performance.
“Listen, it’s amazing. These are the kinds of meets we’re looking forward to. There’s a great incentive to the owners, a great incentive to the European horses to come over. Great incentive for the turf horses in America to race for this kind of money. There’s a bit of everything: 2-year-olds, sprint, long, fillies, colts, milers, beyond a mile. Something for everyone to sink their teeth into. I am very pro what they have done here at Kentucky Downs.”
Talk of retirement is on indefinite hold.
“I thought I was doing the right thing last year by announcing my retirement,” Dettori said. “But when it came to the end, I wasn’t ready for it. At the end of the day, I thank everyone for the great farewell. But you’ve got to live with yourself. I would have been a very unhappy person if I’d retired then. It was a mistake I made, but I corrected that mistake, moved to the U.S. and carrying on what I enjoy very much. It’s a new challenge. Everybody has been so welcoming. The public, the owners, the trainers, my fellow jockeys. It checks the boxes. I’ve been to tracks I’ve never been to before, including Kentucky Downs.”
“Most important, I’m enjoying it, still getting the support and opportunity. It’s nice to do a full season. I dabbled with it in the past. Now I’ve committed myself fully. I’ve got a great agent in Ron Anderson. I like traveling, and he likes to send his jockeys here there and everywhere. It suits me. I love an airport. I love to meet new people. I love a new challenge. Look, I will be 54. But in America, I’m very well accepted. There are a bunch of us who are over 50. I don’t feel like I’m the only one out. As long as I’m still healthy, I’ll carry on. When the rides dry out or people think I’m not competitive enough, it will be time to rethink. At the moment, I’m getting the support, and I’m going to carry on.”
Here’s one thing you can bank on: When Dettori wins at Kentucky Downs, the fans will be greeted to his trademark flying dismount.
“Absolutely,” he said. “That’s what people want. That’s the easy part. The hardest part is to try to win a race.”
Meanwhile, Dettori and his wife plan to spend a lot of time in Nashville the next two weeks.
“I don’t know too much about country music,” he said. “But I’m willing to listen and willing to learn.”
