ARCADIA, Calif. – Last week, Frankie Dettori was at lunch in Pasadena, not far from Santa Anita, when he instinctively looked across the restaurant. No one was peering in his direction, a change from his experiences in Britain. Dettori had a hassle-free lunch, an anonymous guest in a Southern California restaurant. “I was there at the bar and I found myself looking around to see if anyone saw me,” he said. “It’s kind of a habit. “I was talking to this chap next to me. He said, ‘You’ve got a funny accent. Where are you from?’ I said I’m Italian and English.” The chap at the bar never knew he was visiting with arguably the world’s most famous jockey. In Britain, Dettori is one of the most recognizable athletes who does not kick a ball. With fame comes ample attention. “At home, they’re all very nice, but you always feel somebody is watching you,” Dettori said. “Here when I step out of the track, I’m a normal person.” :: DRF Breeders' Cup Packages on sale now! Get everything you need to win and save up to 32% off the retail price.  Dettori in the coming months will be back in California for the second consecutive winter after surprising the racing world in October with the decision to extend his career. Dettori was scheduled to retire this fall, but a successful season led him to change his mind, to an extent. Dettori’s career will continue on a year-round basis in the United States, and not just for a four-month stay in California as was the case last winter and into the early spring. Earlier this year, Dettori was back in Britain in April and was quickly in demand. He won such famous Group 1 races as the English 1000 Guineas, Oaks, and Ascot Gold Cup before late June. “I thought, this can’t keep going,” Dettori said last weekend at Santa Anita. In the summer, Dettori began to rethink retirement plans. “I had the devil and the angel, and I’m thinking . . . what do I do?” he said. “I’m still winning and I’m still feeling good. I thought, I told everyone I was going to stop. It’s going to look silly if I come back. There is a lifeline for me and I can go to America.” By mid-October, plans were set for a return to California. :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. “For the last five months, when I was back in Europe, I said my farewells to everyone,” he said. “I thought, I had such a good time in California. If I go there, I won’t upset anybody in Europe. “I’m 53 in December. Coming here, it’s a new challenge. If I did one more year in England, it would have been repetition. I’d like to find a horse for the [Kentucky] Derby. The weather is nice. I love Santa Anita. It’s a good way to get a few years out of me.” Dettori had the Kentucky Derby as a goal last year, but was unable to secure a mount. He rode the promising Newgate to a February win in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita, but the colt was sidelined later in the winter. Dettori won 26 races at Santa Anita’s winter-spring meeting, ranking third in the standings. After the Breeders’ Cup this weekend, Dettori is scheduled to travel to Australia to attend major races on a promotional visit. He intended to ride there this month, but will be sidelined with a suspension for a riding infraction recently issued in Britain. Dettori will be back in California before Christmas, in time for the start of the Santa Anita meeting on Dec. 26. How the entirety of Dettori’s 2024 season will unfold is unclear. The Santa Anita winter-spring meeting is the immediate focus, followed by the Kentucky Derby goal. Later in the year, Dettori wants to ride the Del Mar summer meeting. A return trip to Britain for a major stakes is possible. “I’ve been asked that question a lot of times,” he said. “At the moment, I’m not planning to. I want to work around the American system. I want to be fully committed to it. I can’t go back and forth. It’s not realistic. “Another box I’d like to tick is a summer at Del Mar. I’ve never done it. I did the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, but that’s not the same. “I’m here. I’ll try to find a horse for the Derby and after that we’ll see.” :: BREEDERS’ CUP 2023: See DRF’s special section with top contenders, odds, comments, news, and more for each division This weekend, Dettori will ride in Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita, including King of Steel in the BC Turf and Zandon in the BC Classic. Dettori rode King of Steel for the first time on Oct. 21 when the 3-year-old colt won the Group 1 Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on a soft turf course at Ascot. A Breeders’ Cup win would be no surprise to racing fans worldwide. It might even get Dettori attention in the crowded Los Angeles sports market. Maybe then, the chap from the Pasadena restaurant will recognize the man with the funny accent. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.