Jockey Frankie Dettori was in top form. During Saturday's Santa Anita Derby Day card at The Great Race Place in Arcadia, Calif., the renowned Italian jockey achieved an impressive feat by winning six consecutive races, matching the record set by esteemed riding icons Laffit Pincay Jr. and Bill Shoemaker.
In the highly anticipated main event, the prestigious Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, with a whopping $750,000 purse, Dettori would be riding Imagination, the top pick trained by the renowned Bob Baffert. This presents a remarkable opportunity for Dettori to join the exclusive club of jockeys who have achieved the extraordinary feat of winning seven races in a single day at Santa Anita, a record currently held only by Pincay.
However, in the thrilling final stretch of the one 1/8-mile race, jockey Antonio Fresu, hailing from Italy, triumphantly raised his arm in celebration. Fresu, riding Rick and Sharon Waller's homebred colt Stronghold, narrowly defeated Dettori and Imagination by a small margin. This marked Fresu's inaugural Grade 1 triumph in the United States and propelled trainer Phil D'Amato onto the path leading to the prestigious Kentucky Derby, a first for him.
Imagination, the top contender, lost the lead in the final stretch but fought back bravely to secure second place.