Frankie Dettori Candidly Reflects on a ‘Not So Proud’ Moment in His Illustrious Career

The Italian jockey, Frankie Dettori is undeniably one of the horse racing greats. Million-dollar career earnings, and equally amusing records, place the jockey at the top. The continued passion in the racing industry has refrained the jockey from retiring just yet. After spending about 30 years aboard the animal athletes, and holding the record for riding all seven winners at Ascot Racecourse, the icon hasn’t been rid of regrets on the ground.

In a recent Instagram update, Dettori, who returned from I’m a Celebrity, took to the platform for interaction. Speaking on his career, the renowned jockey spoke about a moment he’d wish to change. A moment proving that regrets do not surpass the finest of the achievers either.

The horse racing icon shares a moment to change

On the 14th of December, Frankie Dettori took to his Instagram stories to engage with his fans with an interactive post. From his favorite horse, and proudest moment to a historic moment to embody, the jockey was presented with quite the questions from his curious fans. However, what stood out the most would be the question asking about the race he’d go back to change. “If I could redo any race, which would it be?“ the question read on the screen read.

“If probably one of the races that I am not proud of, that I could have done much better, it was the 1999 (1998) Breeders’ Cup classic on Swain,” Frankie stated. “I shouldn’t have used my left stick so much.“ The jockey added that the action caused him and the horse to lose momentum and further the biggest race in America. The race was one of the unkind highlights of Dettori’s horse racing career, an incident that took him months to get over.

Dettori’s regrettable actions

It was during the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Classic, two years after his spectacular feat at British Festival of Racing Day. Dettori took on Swain, who was on a winning streak. Irish Champion Stakes, Coronation Cup, and Dubai Cup performances that year led Swain to the Breeders’ Cup Classic for $4M. However, boarded by Dettori, the equine succumbed to unlikely circumstances.

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The Vault reports that Frankie rode ‘like a panic-stricken apprentice’. The jockey’s continued lefthanded whipping led the horse towards the outside fence. Swain hence finished third in line, beaten by a length. The action of not switching hands carried a lot of criticism from the horse racing community. “Everybody tried to kill me,” he said. “I made a mistake. It took me six months to get over it.”

Soon after, Swain was pushed to retirement. And for Dettori, the incident still lingers. “It’s a bit late but I have learned my lesson,” the jockey added in his post.

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