Photo:

Shamela Hanley / Eclipse Sportswire

Frankie Dettori has found out first hand how the racing
business is not what it once was in California. That is why he is moving his
tack to Florida starting Feb. 28 with plans to ride at Keeneland this spring
before deciding where in the east he will compete this summer.

“It’s just the fact that he’s looking for more
opportunities,” Dettori’s agent Ron Anderson told Horse Racing Nation on
Sunday. “I feel badly for everyone who is there in California.”

Anderson announced Dettori’s move in an X post Sunday
morning.

“I’m kind of starting from scratch here,” Anderson said from
Florida. “I just think it’s time to come this way and get ready for the rest of
the year.”

Going into Sunday’s card, Dettori has a record of 63: 10-5-5
this winter at Santa Anita, ranking him eighth in the jockeys standings. His
$753,240 in earnings have been highlighted by victories with Raging Torrent in
the Grade 1 Malibu, Mrs. Astor in the Robert J. Frankel (G3), Rashmi in the
Megahertz (G3) and There Goes Harvard in the San Marcos (G3).

Dettori, 54, a native of Italy, returned to his apprentice
roots when he began riding regularly in Southern California in late 2022. At
the time he had planned on retiring after one last go-round in Europe. He
decided to extend his career and make Santa Anita his primary base.

Although Santa Anita announced this week it would reverse
recent purse cuts, shrinking field sizes for the graded stakes have reduced riding
opportunities for the Southern California jockey colony.

Anderson said he was not sure whether Dettori would stay in
Kentucky at Churchill Downs or go to New York after the Keeneland spring.

“That’s a jump ball,” he said. “I am leaning maybe towards
Kentucky, but I don’t know yet.”