Frankie Dettori narrowly avoids injury after horror fall at Santa Anita as his horse suffers fatal injury

1 month ago 19

FRANKIE DETTORI narrowly avoided injury after a horrible fall just after winning a £50,000 race in California on Saturday night.

The legendary jockey rode Matzanas Creek to victory in a six furlong sprint, but the horse suffered an injury a few strides after the line.

The Tim Yakteen-trained four-year-old was taken away in a horse ambulance afterwards and treated by vets but, sadly, his injury proved fatal.

Dettori, 53, was sent crashing to the ground, but amazingly he walked away unscathed.

He was stood down from his remaining rides on the card at Santa Anita in Los Angeles, which is now his home after he moved to the US last year.

It was his 28th victory in 150 rides and moved him to fourth in the Santa Anita jockey standings, but the Italian barely had time to celebrate before suffering the horror fall.

Tim Ryan, representing part-owner SF Racing, posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Matanzas Creek sustained irreparable injuries to his right front fetlock.

“It’s a heartbreaking decision to make, but he was euthanized on site. Our hearts go out to the horse and the people who adored and cared for him. Thankfully, Frankie walked away from this tragedy.”

This time last year, we were at the beginning of the Frankie Dettori ‘retirement’ tour.

But, after a hugely successful Flat season in 2023, he announced a U-turn in October and that he planned to move to California to continue his career.

He said: “I’ve still got the fire inside me that I want to do it a little bit more.

“Ten months ago, I announced my retirement, I thought that would give me plenty of time to say my farewells and then I headed to California in December 2022.

“I had an amazing four months, finished second in the standings, and I really loved the lifestyle. Then I came back to Europe, won the Guineas, had Royal Ascot wins and other big wins and that tickled my emotions.

“Myself and my wife, Catherine, will move full-time to Los Angeles and do the same as last year, but this time I’m going to stay there for good.

“When I say for good, it could be three months or three years, but I want to give it a good go on the US circuit, and the international circuit.

“I want to travel, if I go to Kentucky, Florida, Saratoga, Del Mar, that’s what I’ll do and that’s what excites me, going to uncharted waters that I haven’t done before. It could be madness, it could go completely wrong, but I’m determined to try it and we’ll see what happens.”

But Dettori will link up with his old boss John Gosden in Dubai later this month, with the Italian booked to ride Lord North and Emily Upjohn on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan.