This week, we dive into a conversation with legendary jockey Frankie Dettori, who opens up about his injuries and his journey to recovery. We discuss how years of riding have taken a toll on his body and why he’s turning to regenerative medicine to extend his career. Whether you’re interested in sports recovery, cutting-edge stem cell treatments, or just a fan of Frankie Dettori’s remarkable career—this conversation has something for you. 

Want the full story? You can read the entire conversation below or watch the interview on YouTube here. 

RMI: So, we’re here with the one, the only, Frankie Dettori. Frankie, thanks for coming to RMI. It’s a pleasure having you here. Tell us a little bit about your experience. 

Frankie Dettori: Well, I remember when you came to Santa Anita, 3 or 4 years ago, you mentioned this stem cell therapy. I didn’t know too much about it, but, like you said, it’s possible that it can give me longevity in my career, or it could fix some of my injuries, and so on and so forth. I did a bit of research, talked to one of my friends, Mark Chan—I think his father was treated with the same therapy. 

So,I ask questions. I was interested, and as you know, time passes quickly, and it went out completely of my head. Then, I had a fall last week, and you were prompt on the phone to reach out to me, and then, boom, the light bulb came on again. I thought, you know what? Now, this is the time that I really need it. This is the time that I need fixing up, quick. 

I learned a lot more about the stem cell replacement, so I reached out to you, and here I am. I didn’t take a millisecond to think about it. I was straight on that plane and straight here. I feel a lot better. 

I came for two reasons. First, for my new injury on my shoulder, and second, for some of my old injuries—the wear and tear, you know, elbows, ankles, shoulders. I got touched up pretty much in all the problem areas that a jockey has, especially being 53. I’ve been doing it for over 35 years. You know, the wear and tear adds up. I also had the blood transfusion, the plasma, to give my body a clean-up, a change of oil.  
 
RMI: a boost. 

Frankie Dettori: These are stepping stones for many reasons. I still feel competitive enough, and I want to carry on. I still have to compete with riders who are 30 years younger than me, so I have to be as fit as I can. I feel that coming here is to achieve all the goals I wanted to achieve. At the moment, it’s just for now—it’s just for my career. But even when I do stop riding, I want to try to carry on because, you know, life doesn’t stop when you’re riding. I want to stay fit and be able to do things. 

It’s called prevention is better than cure, right? I’m preventing getting ill or getting older. 

RMI: You’re being proactive. 

Frankie Dettori: Yeah, exactly. You know, it costs a lot more to get doctors when you’re sick. So, I’m keeping myself in good shape by putting some stem cells in my body, basically. 

RMI: I think that highlights the story of where medicine is. You came here really because of your shoulder. One injury was the catalyst—like, I’ve got to go to Costa Rica now. But when you came here, you realized, wow, all the other parts of you that you forgot about. 

Frankie Dettori: Yeah, you obviously concentrate on what hurts the most at the time. But after the treatment yesterday, I got touched up in places I had left dormant. This morning, I was more sore in those places than on the injury from last week. I guess, you know, you live with the pain and push it to the back of your head. It’s very crucial now, if I want to carry on a bit longer, that I address these problems. I never even thought about it. It was the doctor who asked if I had any other past injuries or pain. 

RMI: And you were like, where do you want me to start? 

Frankie Dettori: Exactly. I had a long list. 
 
It’s all about trying to be as fit as I can and carry on as long as I can. This really helps. 

RMI: That’s the difference here compared to the States or Europe. There, if you have a sore thumb, 

Frankie Dettori:  they give you two paracetamol and send you off.  

RMI: Yeah! Or even just getting to see a specialist for that. But here, we address your whole body and get you back in the game because your body is your tool. 

Frankie Dettori: Honestly, I don’t think Europe is that advanced in this kind of therapy, which is why I came to Costa Rica. They’ve been doing this for a while. I consulted Mike Smith, one of the all-time great jockeys in the Hall of Fame, and he swears by it. Other people have had the same treatment, and I had the courage to come, and I’m glad I did. 

If it gives me a little bit longer in my career, all the better—that’s what it’s about. 

RMI: Just for people who don’t know you (though there aren’t many), you started your career at 16, right? You’ve been famous since you were a teenager. 

Frankie Dettori: Yeah, my dad was a jockey, so I was born on a horse. I had my pony, started going to the stables during the summer holidays, and got into it that way. I did a little pony racing, and when I turned 14, you could leave school if you had a job, so I took an apprenticeship with Luca Cumani in England. I was supposed to stay for six months, and it turned into 38 years. England became my home. I married, had five children, and pretty much achieved everything I wanted in Europe. 

Frankie Dettori: This is the good side, but the bad side is that if you’re a jockey, it’s like taking a shower. If you take a shower you’re going to get wet—if you ride horses, you’re going to fall. People say, you must be mad. But the good days make up for the bad days. 

You can’t live your life wrapped in a bubble. You can get run over crossing the street or fall off a bike. What we do is our own choice. Is extremely dangerous. We go 60km an hour. When you fall, most of the time, you break something. But the adrenaline, the competition, the crowd, the smell, and the winning overrides all the negative stuff. 

Now, in the twilight of my career I’m 53, I was meant to retire. Well, I did retire in Europe, but I got to a point that, you know, I still have a little bit more to give. So, I decided to move to the U.S. for a couple of reasons. One I didn’t want to humiliate or upset the Europeans by because after all the farewells they gave me.  

RMI: I mean, everybody came out. The Queen unveiled a statue to you. 

Dettori: a life–size statue! Wherever I went, It was a farewell party. In my homeland in Italy. France did a great job. All the places that have been, so I wasn’t ready to stop. So I decided, well there’s only one way out of this is, go to America. Obviously, going to America was taking a big risk because usually, it’s Americans coming to Europe, but not many Europeans go to the U.S. I didn’t expect anyone to roll out the red carpet, and it was going to be tough, and I’m taking on some great jockey, hall of famers, but it’s been going really well. For me is all new. It’s exciting, and I’m enjoying it. 

Like I said, I want to carry on; I have to be healthy and on top of my game. That’s why I’m here—I’m not ready to stop. And if this treatment can give me a few more years, I’ll take them. 

RMI: Even with those few years, there’s life after that. What’s next for Frankie Dettori? You’ve done all, books, movies… 

Frankie Dettori: I’ve decided not to set a target to stop. Mike Smith is 58 and still going strong. He mentioned this therapy to me, and it’s keeping him going. I’m only five years behind him, so if he can do it, I can do it too. After racing, I’ll keep busy. I’ll work in media or something, but I want to finish racing on my own terms. I still have plenty to give, and I’ll keep going as long as I can. 

RMI: How have you found Costa Rica so far? 

Frankie Dettori: The people are really nice, everyone is friendly. I’ve only been here two days, so I haven’t seen much yet, but next time I’d like to spend more time here. 

RMI: We’d love to have you and show you more. We’re happy you’re part of the RMI family and embracing the journey. 

Frankie Dettori: Thank you, Thomas. I really enjoyed it, and you’ve made me feel better. That’s why I’m here. 

Note: The transcription has been lightly edited for clarity and comprehension while maintaining the original intent and flow of the conversation.