'He's a celebrity, he's like a movie star' - Frankie Dettori wows locals as he pursues Kentucky Derby dream on outsider

When he first announced his intention to retire at the end of last year, Frankie Dettori made it clear winning the Kentucky Derby was one of his unfulfilled dreams.

Last year’s race came and went without Dettori, who instead landed the 2,000 Guineas on Chaldean. However, plenty has changed for the rider since last spring.

Dettori postponed his retirement and relocated to California – via the I'm A Celebrity jungle – where his Indian summer has been going particularly well. He secured notable Grade 1 victories in the Santa Anita Handicap and the Jenny Wiley Stakes, while he lit up Santa Anita last month with six wins on the spin.

This year, Dettori has also secured a mount in the Kentucky Derby on longshot Society Man and is set to be followed by filmmakers producing a documentary for Netflix.

“We're blessed to have him and it's going to be a lot of fun,” said Danny Gargan, who also saddles Dornoch in the race. “It's good for horseracing to have him here – he's a celebrity, he's like a movie star.

“Society Man broke his maiden impressively and ran well in the Wood [Memorial Stakes]. Dornoch’s a beautiful horse and he does everything with very little effort. We’ve been excited about him all along. He's trained better going into this race and he's doing really good.” 

The switch to riding in the US for 2024 was one also made by jockey Ben Curtis, who will have his first ride in the Kentucky Derby on Honor Marie. 

Trainer Whit Beckman admitted he “didn’t really know Ben” until his horse shipped to race at Fair Grounds in New Orleans at the start of this year, but felt that Curtis was “the best guy down there” once he arrived. Honor Marie finished second under Curtis in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby last time out and is a lively outsider in the betting for the Kentucky Derby.

The horses heading the market for the Classic – Fierceness and Sierra Leone – represent some of the most powerful connections in the sport. Fierceness is trained for Mike Repole by Todd Pletcher, who said: “He gives me a similar feeling to Always Dreaming [2017 Kentucky Derby winner]. He’s training really well.” 

Chad Brown: saddles leading contender Sierra LeoneCredit: Edward Whitaker

Sierra Leone represents trainer Chad Brown and the Coolmore partners, who are also seeking victory in the 2,000 Guineas on the same day with City Of Troy. Brown, who also runs Domestic Product, said: “Sierra Leone looks super and I feel Domestic Product is flying under the radar a bit too. These horses both have so much energy and they’re moving well. As a trainer that’s really all you can ask for.”

There will also be two representatives from Japan in this year’s Kentucky Derby – Forever Young and T O Password. Forever Young lines up for the race having already scored in Saudi Arabia and Dubai this year, with his victory in the UAE Derby coming only hours after his trainer Yoshito Yahagi lost his father.

Assistant trainer Yasuka Oka said: “The Kentucky Derby is a difficult race to win but all I can say is Team Yahagi Stable is undefeated in the United States and Forever Young is undefeated.”

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