04 March 2024 , 11:48
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Frankie Dettori has recorded his biggest success in the saddle since quitting Britain for the US.
The 53-year-old left his home of 35 years at the end of 2023, performing a u-turn on announced plans to retire, to take up a new challenge on the other side of the Atlantic.
He has ridden 25 winners since the Santa Anita winter meet started on December 26 and proved he is still the man for the big occasion when landing the Santa Anita Handicap, also known as the ‘Big ‘Cap’.
Riding the Bob Baffert-trained Newgate, Dettori showed all his strength and determination to get up on the line to beat Subsanador by a head in Sunday's historic race.
Dettori said: “When I was a kid here in the late 80s, there were 60,000 people here to see Ferdinand and Alysheba and you just couldn’t move. I was in awe.
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“I rode in the Big 'Cap for the first time last year and it was a dream. And to win it, I couldn’t ask for anything more. It is a big feather in my cap, they don’t get bigger than The Santa Anita Big ‘Cap.”
He added: "I thought I would get to the line okay and in fairness Subsanador gave me a good fight. The last twenty yards we got out in front, and I couldn’t believe it. I could not believe that I had done it.”
Baffert, who has been a key supporter of Dettori since he emigrated, was winning the Grade 1 contest for the sixth time.
“It is such a historical race and just to win it, for our team and with Frankie Dettori, it really makes it that much more special,” he said.
“He was telling me when Alysheba and Ferdinand ran together Santa Anita was just packed. So, he knows how historical this race is.”