FRANKIE DETTORI won a punter over £100,000 after amazingly riding six straight winners on the Santa Anita Derby card - evoking memories of his incredible magnificent seven nearly 20 years ago.
The Italian memorably won every race at Ascot back in September 1996, on a day which cost British bookmakers an estimated £40million.
Now based across the Atlantic after abandoning plans to retire last year, Dettori rattled off six consecutive victories with cumulative odds of 77,000-1 on Saturday night to give bookies nightmares once again.
One punter backed all six of Dettori's winners with a £1 bet, at odds of 11/4, 6/1, 12/1, 9/2, 10/1, and 10/3.
The Dettori fan pocketed £110,880 with Ladbrokes after initial odds drifted, as the bookmaker's Nicola McGeady later confirmed.
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She said: "We thought the Frankie Dettori nightmares had ended when he hung up his whip in Britain, but how wrong were we.
"The Dettori drama came crashing back last night in California when he rode an astonishing six-timer.
"There were a lot of happy customers, no more so that one particular punter who scooped a whopping £110,880 from a £1 bet."
Dettori did not add to his amazing tally from four more rides - but this did not take away from his remarkable feat.
He said: "I adore this place and to be able to say that I won six races on Derby day is beyond my wildest dreams.
"I don't know how to put it into words. Is it real? Am I dreaming? Is this really happening? It's incredible. I just don't know what to say."
After missing out on Danzingwith Maxine in the opening race, Dettori began his hot streak with maiden winner Ball Don't Lie.
He then struck on Recinto Rompere in a claiming race before landing the $125,000 (£99k) Evening Jewel Stakes with Roberta's Love at big odds.
After that success, Dettori said: "I was surprised, she jumped like a rocket and within 50 yards we were clear of the field and at the rail.
"I thought if nobody hassled with me, I'd be very hard to catch and that was the case. We went right up to the line.
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"I tried to just save as much ground as I could - the filly is ultra consistent and was very well prepared.
"There were some good fillies in the race, but she put up a good performance."
Next up came another maiden winner in Kathynmarissa and Dettori then partnered Nothing Like You to victory in the $300,000 (£277k) Grade Two Santa Anita Oaks.
She was regarded as trainer Bob Baffert's second string behind odds-on favourite Kinza but swept past her stablemate entering the home straight and ultimately romped home by seven and a half lengths.
Dettori added: "The filly didn't like the kick-back too much last time but I was lucky to get a decent break and could take up a decent position where I wasn't getting any kick-back.
"I was fully loaded at the quarter pole, I just needed a bit of room and she took off.
"What can you say about Bob Baffert, he's a genius and just lets me do what I do best and we got the job done.
"We've got a good working relationship - he trains them and I ride them, so we'll keep it that way."
'Just a phenom'
Baffert added on the Santa Anita website: "He's just a phenom. He is world class and has brought his talent to every stage. He's just that good."
Dettori's sixth straight success soon followed when Royal Charter, a former William Haggas inmate now trained by Leonard Powell, swept to victory on her American debut.
The veteran did not have a ride in race eight and then had to settle for third place on board Getthemoney in the Grade Three Monrovia Stakes.
A narrow second on the Baffert-trained favourite Imagination in the $750,000 (£590k) Grade One Santa Anita Derby was the closest Dettori came to reaching seventh heaven again.
That minor blow was softened by losing out to compatriot Antonio Fresu, who dedicated his first Grade One victory in America to fellow Italian Stefano Cherchi, who tragically died from injuries suffered in a fall in Australia recently.
Dettori finished unplaced on Ottoman Prince, formerly handled by Sir Mark Prescott, and Last Call London as he came up one short of the track record of seven wins at a meeting, set by Laffit Pincay Jr back in March 1987.
