Frankie Dettori enjoyed another famous night in his incredible career as he rode six consecutive winners at Santa Anita in California.
The 53-year-old, who has ridden more than 3,300 career winners, abandoned plans to retire late last year in order to continue racing in the United States.
It appears that decision paid off on a historic night at Santa Anita, where he fell just once short of the record for most winners at a single meeting at the racetrack.
He also fell one short of his ‘Magnificent Seven’ of winners on the card at Ascot in September 1996, at odds of more than 25,000 to 1.
His Saturday night wins had cumulative odds of over 75,000-1.
Frankie Dettori won six races in a row at Santa Anita in California on Saturday evening
Dettori does his famous jump from Nothing Like You after winning on the 10-1 horse
He fell one short of his ‘Magnificent Seven’ at Ascot in September 1996 (photo)
After the meeting he said: ‘I love this place and to be able to say I won six races on Derby Day is beyond my wildest dreams.
‘I don’t know how to put it into words. Is it real? Am I dreaming? Is this really happening? It’s unbelievable. I just don’t know what to say.’
His six winners came at odds of 9-4, 6-1, 12-1, 9-2, 10-1 and 10-3.
Dettori completed a total of eleven stages on Saturday, missing out on victory in his first race, before taking six consecutive victories.
He came close to tying the track record as the next race he finished second to the 5-4 favorite Imagination in the Grade One Santa Anita Derby.
Bob Baffert, trainer of 10-1 winner Nothing Like You, said: ‘He (Dettori) is just a phenomenon.
“He is world class and has brought his talent to every stage.”
With one more win, he would break Laffit Pincay Jr.’s 37-year-old record. at Santa Anita with seven straight wins in March 1987.
Dettori planned to retire last year before choosing to continue his career in the United States
Dettori confirmed a reconsideration of his retirement and said in October that he feels reinvigorated by the new challenge and the move to the west coast of America with his wife Catherine.
What influences Dettori’s decision is how well he was received when he rode at Santa Anita in early 2023, when he took 25 wins from 157 rides, taking home $2,123,496 (about £1.74 million) in prize money.
Dettori told Mail Sport: ‘I’m the kind of person who gets old so I needed a new challenge. What’s left for me here? Repetition, doing the same thing again? That’s why this new adventure fits me like a glove.
‘It would have been much easier for me to retire if things weren’t going well for me. Things have turned out to be the complete opposite of how I thought they would happen.
‘I expected that I would say goodbye for the last time and that my rides would fail. I thought I would go out the back door and disappear into the sunset.
Dettori has racked up more than 3,300 victories during his iconic jockey career
‘But I went to America and it was a great success. I came back and won the 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks, the Juddmonte International, the Prix Jacques Le Marois and had four wins at Royal Ascot. It’s been non-stop.
‘My ratio of rides to winners in group races has gone through the roof. The popularity and success I have had has given me some food for thought.
‘I spoke to Catherine and my parents. I said, ‘I’m doing so well that I’m not ready to let go yet.’ I thought: what are the options? Do another year in England. I’ve achieved everything here, so was that a big enough incentive?
“I had a great time in California last year. The lifestyle suits me much better. The weather is nice, there is no travelling. It’s a new challenge to take on the Americans in their backyard and I will try to win the Kentucky Derby. These are all things that make me think.’