Frankie Dettori’s Fanfare, it deserves a year

Frankie Dettori donning the world famous Juddmonte Silks he won so many races wearing, (JTW Equine Images)

Frankie Dettori, He showed us how good he is!
” Frankie Dettori, ci ha mostrato quanto e bravo “

By Jonathan Stettin

PART 1

Shortly after Frankie Dettori announced he would ride his first winter at Santa Anita, he also announced 2023 would be his final year in the saddle. I doubt many in the racing world were shocked, we knew the day would come and there is not really much more Frankie can add to his already world class, history making resume. A Kentucky Derby perhaps. Maybe a Melbourne Cup. Other than those two races which come to mind, Frankie’s compilation of the biggest races in the world reads something like been there, done that, several times.

Frankie Dettori’s wife Catherine once asked him “show me how good you are” and Frankie responded. Not only did he show Catherine, he showed us all, again and again. He showed us all over the world, in the biggest races, in countries that span the globe, and did it all like only Frankie could. Some of us who have been around a while love to identify with the Paul Anka written song made into an anthem by Frank Sinatra, My Way. If that song was written for a jockey, it would be Frankie Dettori, and indeed he did it his way. Sure Angel Cordero Jr. had as much talent and charisma as most who have ever ridden a racehorse and those who know, know he invented the flying dismount. Frankie perfected it taking it to another level. We expected to see it and we saw it more times than we can remember often following Group 1 or Grade 1 performances by brilliant equine athletes partnered with one of the best pound for pound athletes in the world, Frankie Dettori.

While fanfare’s tend to be short, they don’t have to be and Frankie deserves one reflective of his career, trials and tribulations. At Past The Wire we are going to follow the Franke Dettori farewell tour from Santa Anita’s winter meet, all the way across the world to where it closes at The Breeders’ Cup 2023 at where else, The Great Race Place, Santa Anita.

We are pretty sure this endeavor will take us all over the world. Frankie is exiting his career in the saddle while still at the pinnacle of the sport and in high demand. Frankie, one of the best riders ever, rides for Bob Baffert one of the best trainers ever on the opening day card at Santa Anita. He just happens to ride Country Grammar a horse he won the Dubai World Cup on. No it is not his only mount, and no it was not his only Dubai World Cup win.

We will learn a lot about Frankie Dettori in this year long Fanfare. We are confidant Frankie, in a way only he can, will make it a fun journey. If you love the sport, love Frankie, love these magnificent animals and phenomenal equine or human athletes you’ll want to ride along. Subscribe to our emails and don’t miss a single chapter.

We definitely have some surprises coming your way with this, after all it is about Frankie. What is no surprise is that behind the charisma, the personality, the fun, the passion, is the consummate, polished professional athlete. Accordingly it is no surprise our own photographer Ernie Belmonte caught Frankie Dettori working horses in the morning at Santa Anita on Saturday before the big opening day Monday. Here is Frankie Dettori working Hit The Road for Dan Blacker at The Great Race Place. We’d expect noting less. Frankie didn’t come to work out, he came to out work!

Stay tuned for Part 2, “Opening Day” Part 3 will be a look back at the past achievements of Frankie. Part 4, well that will be a surprise.