Having proven himself a legendary jockey in just about every corner of the globe, veteran rider Frankie Dettori decided to move outside his comfort zone and extend his horse racing career in the United States, a move that thus far has proved very successful for the 53-year-old.

In 2023, Dettori completed an emotional farewell tour across Europe and could have easily elected to call it quits. Instead, he decided to see what he could achieve in America. His move to full-time racing in the U.S. comes after he won over 250 Group 1 races, including winning the Epsom Derby twice and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe six times. Dettori is seemingly enjoying something of a second wind.

If you like a horse racing wager, here you’ll find all the best sports betting offers you could want, helping you to maximize your potential payout while also offering some key insights and info prior to placing your bet.

On making his racing debut at picturesque Saratoga Race Course in New York, Dettori was effusive in his assessment of the venue in an interview with Spectrum News, “The town breathes racing, basically. It’s on everybody’s lips. Wherever you go, everybody talks about racing.

“What a beautiful place. There’s so much to do. They got the lakes. They have golf courses. So, it’s got a little bit of everything. So, I really am enjoying the place at the moment.”

Indeed, this may be the ideal way for Dettori to complete his glittering career and offers an entirely different challenge for a rider who was a genuine legend when it comes to racing in England, France, and Italy.

Indeed, across Europe, Dettori is well-known for his athletic dismount in the winner’s circle, something he admits he took from famed Puerto Rican jockey Angel Cordero,

“I stole it off Angel Cordero, and I brought it to England, Europe, basically,” Dettori said in the Spectrum News story.

“It’s a bit of fun. People enjoy it sometimes. Sometimes it’s not so good for my knees or ankles, but it’s a bit of fun and people like it.”

Though he did initially choose to retire in 2023, it appears he is set for a prolonged spell in the United States. He has a visa for three more years and his agent, Ron Anderson, told BloodHorse Dettori still has a lot more to give.

“People are realizing he’s not here on a vacation. He’s not looking to retire. Mentally, he’s as good as we get here. He’s a super rider, and things are going to get better and better,” Anderson said.

“He won three races one day and sounded like a kid who won his first race. The sky is always blue for him.”

When you consider the physical challenges that go with high-level horse racing, it’s quite astonishing that Dettori is still capable of more than competing in his advancing years, and apparently, the relative anonymity he enjoys in New York is also part of the appeal, albeit he does still attract a great deal of attention.

“I’m enjoying the whole thing,” Dettori told BloodHorse of the Saratoga meet. “The town speaks, eats, and breathes, racing; I feel like Tom Cruise walking down the streets. Everyone is calling my name. I love it here. To ride every day with 20,000-plus people watching is a novelty. You don’t see that anymore.”