Julien Leparoux facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Julien Leparoux
Leparoux on Tepin in 2016
Occupation	Jockey
Born	(1983-07-15) July 15, 1983 (age 41) Senlis, Oise, France
Career wins	3,000 (As of November 28, 2024) (ongoing)
Major racing wins
Grade I Stakes Wins Just A Game Handicap (2006, 2015) First Lady Stakes (2006, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2015) Spinster Stakes (2006, 2007) Beverly D. Stakes (2006) Secretariat Stakes (2007) American Oaks (2008) Diana (2008, 2009) Santa Anita Handicap (2009) Jenny Wiley Stakes (2009, 2013, 2016) Turf Classic Stakes (2009) Humana Distaff Handicap (2009) Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap (2009) Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (2009) Personal Ensign Stakes (2009) Maker's Mark Mile (2010) Carter Handicap (2010) Champagne Stakes (2011) Florida Derby (2011) Blue Grass Stakes (2013) Test Stakes (2013) Del Mar Oaks (2013) Del Mar Futurity (2013) QEII Challenge Cup (2013) Alcibiades Stakes (2014) Acorn Stakes (2016) Breeders' Futurity Stakes (2016) Breeders' Cup wins: Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (2007) Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (2008) Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (2009) Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (2009) Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (2009) Breeders' Cup Mile (2015) Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2016) International wins: Woodbine Mile (2011, 2016) Queen Anne Stakes (2016) Queen's Plate (2016)
Racing awards
United States Champion Jockey by wins (2006) United States Champion Apprentice Jockey (2006) Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey (2009)
Significant horses
Classic Empire, Nownownow, Einstein, Forever Together, She Be Wild, Informed Decision, Tepin

Julien R. Leparoux (born July 15, 1983) is a famous French jockey who races horses in the United States. He has won many important races, including seven Breeders' Cup races. In 2015, he won the Breeders' Cup Mile with a champion horse named Tepin. The next year, in 2016, he won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with Classic Empire. Julien has also won several Eclipse Awards, which are like big awards in horse racing.

Julien's Early Life and Family

Julien Leparoux grew up in a family that loved horse racing. His dad, Robert Leparoux, was also a jockey who later became an assistant trainer. Julien started working with horses at the Chantilly Racecourse in France. He was a stable hand, which means he helped take care of the horses.

In 2003, when he was 19, Julien moved to California in the United States. He worked there as an exercise rider for a French trainer named Patrick Biancone. An exercise rider helps train horses by riding them during practice. In 2005, Julien became an apprentice jockey, which is a jockey who is still learning.

Julien is known for being a "finesse rider." This means he tries to be gentle with the horses' mouths and not fight with them. He believes this helps the horses run better.

Julien's Family Life

In December 2012, Julien married Shea Mitchell. Shea's dad is also a racehorse trainer, so she grew up around horses too. They met because of horse racing! Shea once tweeted to Julien after he fell off a horse and broke his hand, asking if he was okay. Later, they got married.

On September 24, 2015, Julien and Shea had their first son, Mitchell Leparoux. Mitchell was at the racetrack watching his dad race when he was only four days old! It shows how much horse racing is a part of their family.

Julien's Racing Career

Julien Leparoux started his professional racing career in the summer of 2005. His very first win was on July 26 at Saratoga Race Course on a horse named Easter Guardian. He did very well that summer, winning 28 races. This was the most wins ever by an apprentice jockey at that track.

In 2006, Julien was the top jockey at several racetracks. He led in wins at Turfway Park, Churchill Downs, and Keeneland Race Course. He won a total of 403 races that year, which was more than any other jockey in the United States. He also earned over $12 million, which was a record for an apprentice jockey. Because of his amazing year, he won the 2006 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey. This award is given to the best young jockey.

Julien "lost the bug" in September 2006. This means he was no longer an apprentice and didn't get the special weight allowance given to new jockeys. Even without this advantage, he kept winning. On June 27, 2007, he won six races in one day at Churchill Downs. This was a rare achievement, only done by a few jockeys in the track's long history. On November 11, 2008, he won seven races in one day at Churchill Downs, tying a record set in 1984.

Julien Leparoux at the 2009 Breeders' Cup

The year 2009 was Julien's best year yet. He won three Breeders' Cup races: the Dirt Mile, the Filly & Mare Sprint, and the Juvenile Fillies. Winning three Breeders' Cup races in one year is very difficult, and only one other jockey had done it before him. He also earned the most money of any jockey in North America that year. For these achievements, he received the 2009 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey, which is given to the best overall jockey. He is one of only four jockeys to win Eclipse Awards as both an apprentice and a top jockey.

In 2012, Julien tried racing in New York and then California to be closer to his fiancée. But by the end of 2013, after he got married, he moved back to Kentucky. He said he wanted to return to the routine he was used to and continue to be a top jockey. He also felt Kentucky was a great place to start a family.

In 2012, Julien had a good chance to win the Kentucky Derby with a horse named Union Rags. But they had a difficult race and finished seventh. The horse's trainer later changed jockeys for the next big race, the Belmont Stakes. Union Rags won the Belmont with the new jockey but then had to stop racing due to an injury.

In 2016, Julien had more big wins with the horse Tepin, including the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in England. He also won Canada's biggest race, the Queen's Plate, on Sir Dudley Digges. He flew to Canada after riding 11 races the day before, showing his dedication! Later that year, he rode Classic Empire to victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Julien's Success at Keeneland

Leparoux on Classic Empire (left) in the 2017 Preakness Stakes

Julien Leparoux often races at the Keeneland racetrack in Kentucky. He has achieved many great things there:

• He is tied for fourth in the number of big stakes race wins (52) and fifth in total wins (403) at Keeneland.
• He has been the top jockey at Keeneland 10 times.
• He won the 2015 Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland on Tepin.
• On April 20, 2012, he won six races on one day at Keeneland, tying a track record.

Yearly Rankings

This table shows how Julien Leparoux has ranked among all jockeys in North America each year, based on how many races he won and how much money his horses earned.