Frankie Dettori

World-class rider Frankie Dettori announced that his last ever mounts in the U.S. would be in the Breeders' Cup, so it came as somewhat of a shock when he was named on Lagynos (Kantharos) in Saturday's GIII River City Stakes at Churchill Downs. Lagynos, trained by Steve Asmusssen, is among the top contenders in the race. But his U.S. agent Ron Anderson said Dettori will not be riding Saturday at Churchill or anywhere else in the U.S. in the future. "I have no idea why he was named on that...

News needs to be special if it is going to knock the horses off the top spot, even for a short while, during Breeders' Cup week. The story which was able to do that was the announcement of Frankie Dettori's imminent retirement and his plans for the future. That is understandable because Frankie has been big news throughout his fabulous career. Arriving in Newmarket aged 14 in 1985 to join the stable of his compatriot Luca Cumani, Frankie was already an experienced and race-winning rider in Italy by the time...

DEL MAR, USA -- More elusive than the Scarlet Pimpernel, Frankie Dettori, who dropped a new retirement bombshell the previous afternoon, was nowhere to be seen as the sun came up over the Del Mar backstretch on Thursday morning. But that didn't stop the press pack from seeking him here, seeking him there.  Would he be aboard Wimbledon Hawkeye as he emerged to take a turn on the turf around 7.15am? Nope. Nor was he to be found aboard the Japanese mare Argine, whose participation in the Breeders' Cup Mile...

Frankie Dettori has joined Amo Racing as a global brand ambassador to usher in the next phase of his career, following the news that the legendary jockey will retire from American racing after the Breeders' Cup meeting. Dettori will be in action at Del Mar aboard the likes of Wimbledon Hawkeye and Aspect Island for James Owen and the Gredley Family, before the 54-year-old takes a "few rides" in South America to bring the curtain down on a career in the saddle spanning more than three decades. Describing the opportunity...

Frankie Dettori left the Del Mar backstretch on Wednesday morning after riding his Breeders' Cup Mile mount Argine and refused all interviews as he departed the stable area. "There will be plenty of news tomorrow," he said.  But tomorrow appears to have come a day early as by lunchtime the legendary jockey had posted a statement on social media to announce his retirement from American racing after the Breeders' Cup meeting. He will also be in action across the two days aboard Wimbledon Hawkeye and Aspect Island for James Owen...

Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is nine, but clearly hasn't lost a step. The same can be said for his 54-year-old jockey Frankie Dettori. He, too, is still getting it done. But can the geriatric duo pull off a win in the GI Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint? As well as Khaadem has been running this year, it's entirely possible. "That's two old boys together," trainer Charlie Hills said of the horse-jockey combination. Dettori will be the second oldest jockey in this year's Breeders' Cup behind only 60-year-old Mike Smith...

As a 9-year-old, Khaadem has won his share of some top flight races in England for Mrs. Fitriani Hay over the course of his illustrious career, which has netted the gelding nearly $2.5-million in earnings. On Saturday in the Woodford Stakes, the venerable Thoroughbred once again got his picture taken with a thrilling come-from-behind victory at Keeneland. Trained by Charlie Hills, Khaadem highlights include during his 6-year-old season scores in the G3 Betfair Palace House Stakes at Newmarket that April and in the G2 King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood...

British based trainer James Owen had never been to Kentucky Downs prior to his visit last week for the GIII $3.5 million Nashville Derby. Actually, he had never been to the U.S., period. Now he can't wait to come back. The versatile trainer who has trained flat horses, jumpers and even Arabians, won the Nashville Derby at Kentucky Downs with Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko), who out-gamed GI Blue Grass winner Burnham Square (Liam's Map) in a thrilling finish. To talk about his impressions of Kentucky Downs, the biggest victory of...

In a day good for the runners who made the pace, Johnny's Red Storm (Twirling Candy) made every pole a winning one and took home the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint Stakes Sunday afternoon. The George Weaver charge came into this race off a sterling debut Aug. 3 at Saratoga, where he similarly took a field of auction-price restricted maidens gate-to-wire by four lengths. Training well in New York since then and shipped down for the race, the betting public liked him to the tune of 8-5 odds, and he was...

The Gredley Family's Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko) made what appeared to be a winning, sweeping move past the quarter pole of Saturday's GIII Nashville Derby at Kentucky Downs, but he was seriously tested in the final furlong by Triple Crown alum Burnham Square (Liam's Map) and dug deep in the final stages to hold that stiff challenge by a head. Though he would be eligible to contest a second-level allowance in this county, Wimbledon Hawkeye's form at two and three reads very strong. Winner of last year's G2 Royal Lodge...

When 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) went wire-to-wire to take out the 2023 GI Pacific Classic, it made trainer Bob Baffert the winningest trainer in the relatively short history of the event with seven winners, surpassing the late Bobby Frankel. The Hall of Fame conditioner will have every chance to extend that record when he sends out fellow 'Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist) in a compelling renewal of the 10-furlong feature Saturday afternoon, with an all-expenses-paid trip to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic over the same course and distance...

The G3 Solario Stakes betting market was thrown into disarray late on Friday evening when the news broke that the favoured Publish (Kingman), representing John and Thady Gosden and Juddmonte, had been withdrawn due to unsuitable ground. The Gosdens will still be keenly observing the result, however, even though none of the remaining trainers are within shouting distance of John Gosden's record seven wins. With Publish's defection and G1 2000 Guineas implications on the line, step forward Pacific Avenue (Dubawi) into poll position. Tagged a 'TDN Rising Star', the Godolphin...