Beware of the flying dismount if you're at Oaklawn Friday.
That's a clue that jockey Frankie Dettori is coming to town.
The 52-year-old native Italian is a fixture in European and some North American races. Not only does he ride with a certain style, leaping out of the saddle after winning a race, he has racked up more than 500 Group victories and three British flat-racing championships.
His major riding obligation Friday is aboard 5-year-old Teddy's Barino in the inaugural $250,000 Matron for older females at six furlongs. West Coast-based Mark Glatt saddles the mare, who is 6 for 10 lifetime with a last-mount victory Feb. 18 at Santa Anita under Dettori. Teddy's Barino scored her only stakes victory in September at Del Mar and had a Grade 3 placing in the fall meet at Santa Anita.
In the eighth race, one before the 4:58 p.m. feature, Dettori has the mount on Adaline Julia, a two-time meet winner for leading trainer Robertino Diodoro in a $115,000 allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs. Hot Springs native Jerry Caroom, leading owner at the meet with 13 victories, owns the 4-year-old daughter of Preakness winner Oxbow. Lightly raced Adaline Julia, at 4, has won twice at Oaklawn since a debut third at Keeneland last fall. She goes 5 1/2 furlongs in a field with last-out Downthedustyroad Breeders' winner Summer Shoes, an Arkansas-bred mare trained by Tom Swearingen and ridden by Chel-C Bailey.
Oaklawn-raced multiple Wicked Halo, a multiple Grade 2 winner outside Hot Springs makes her 4-year-old debut in the Matron for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and owner-breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds, which raced sire and 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner. A Grade 2 winner at Saratoga as a juvenile, Wicked Halo scored another G2 win at Saratoga and at Keeneland before third in the latter's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, her last start coming in November. Tyler Gaffalione rides Wicked Halo, who has a steady workout pattern at Asmussen's New Orleans winter base.
Breaking from post six, Wicked Halo is early 2-1 choice over 5-2 Matareya, who goes from post two under Flavien Prat. Pioneerof the Nile's daughter is a Godolphin homebred trained by Brad Cox, Dettori formerly stable jockey for the Dubai-based stable.
Matareya won four consecutive stakes, a Grade 1 included, after a runner-up finish in an Oaklawn allowance on her last day as a 2-year-old. She has not started since third in the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga Aug. 6, posting two "buller" workouts among several in New Orleans after training 3.
Oaklawn's 13-race card Saturday, highlighted by the Grade 1 $1.25 million Arkansas Derby, starts at noon with the Derby set for 6:50 p.m. Also on tap are the Grade 3 $600,000 Fantasy, the Grade 3 $400,000 Oaklawn Mile and the restored $200,000 Hot Springs, now for 3-year-olds at six furlongs after going a record four times to the retired Whitmore.