Dettori flies in for Oaklawn rides Friday

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, right, talks to Frankie Dettori, left, and trainer John Gosden, back, left, during day five of the Royal Ascot horserace meeting at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England, on June 19, 2021. - Photo by David Davies of The Associated Press
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, right, talks to Frankie Dettori, left, and trainer John Gosden, back, left, during day five of the Royal Ascot horserace meeting at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England, on June 19, 2021. - Photo by David Davies of The Associated Press

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.

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