Julien Leparoux facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Julien Leparoux |
|
|---|---|
Leparoux on Tepin in 2016
|
|
| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born | July 15, 1983 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)
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 on July 15, 1983, in Senlis, France, is a famous French horse jockey. He races horses in the United States and has won many important awards, including several Eclipse Awards. Julien is known for winning seven Breeders' Cup races. These include the 2015 Breeders' Cup Mile with the amazing horse Tepin and the 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile with Classic Empire.
Contents
Julien's Early Life and Career Start
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 at the Chantilly Racecourse in France as a stable hand. This means he helped take care of the horses.
In January 2003, 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 like a trainee jockey.
Julien is known for being a very gentle rider. He once said, "I just try not to fight so much with my horses. I try to be gentle around their mouths." This gentle style helps him connect with the horses he rides.
Julien's Family Life
In December 2012, Julien Leparoux married Shea Mitchell. Shea also grew up in a horse racing family, as her dad is a racehorse trainer. They met through racing.
One time, Julien fell off a horse during a race and broke his hand. Shea sent him a message to see if he was okay. Not long after, they got married! Shea even shared a picture of Julien and her dad from 2007, joking that her dad probably didn't know he was looking at his future son-in-law. 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!
Julien's Racing Achievements
Julien Leparoux started his professional racing career in the summer of 2005. His first win was on July 26 at Saratoga Race Course with a horse named Easter Guardian. He had a great start, winning 28 races at Saratoga, which was a record for an apprentice jockey there.
In 2006, Julien was the top winning jockey at several racetracks. These included Turfway Park, Churchill Downs, and Keeneland Race Course. He won 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.
Julien "lost the bug" in September 2006. This means he was no longer an apprentice and didn't get the special weight allowance. Even without the allowance, he kept winning. On June 27, 2007, he won six races in one day at Churchill Downs. This was a rare achievement, as only four other jockeys had done it in 133 years. On November 11, 2008, he won seven races in one day at Churchill Downs, tying a record set by Pat Day in 1984.
Julien had his best year ever in 2009. He won three Breeders' Cup races: the Dirt Mile, the Filly & Mare Sprint, and the Juvenile Fillies. He was only the second jockey in history to win three Breeders' Cup races in a single year. He also earned the most money of any jockey in North America that year. For these achievements, he received the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 2009. He is one of only a few jockeys to win Eclipse Awards as both an apprentice and a professional jockey.
In 2012, Julien moved his racing base from Kentucky to New York, and then to California. He wanted to be closer to his fiancée's family. But by the end of 2013, after he was married, he moved back to Kentucky. He explained that he wanted to return to his usual routine and continue to be a top jockey. He also felt Kentucky was a great place to start a family.
One of Julien's best chances to win the Kentucky Derby was in 2012 with a horse named Union Rags. However, they had a difficult race and finished seventh. Julien felt something might have been wrong with the horse during the race. The trainer later decided to use a different jockey 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 many important wins with the horse Tepin, including the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in England. He was also invited to ride Sir Dudley Digges in Canada's biggest race, the Queen's Plate. He flew to Toronto after riding in 11 races the day before and won the Queen's Plate even though his horse was not expected to win. Later that year, Julien rode Classic Empire to victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Julien's Success at Keeneland
Julien Leparoux often rides 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 leading rider (meaning he won the most races) at Keeneland 10 times.
- He won the 2015 Breeders' Cup Mile on Tepin at Keeneland.
- On April 20, 2012, he won six races on a single day at Keeneland, tying a record for the most wins on one race card.
Julien's Yearly Rankings
The table below shows Julien Leparoux's ranking among North American jockeys each year, based on how many races he won and how much money his horses earned.
| North American Rank | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | by wins | by earnings |
| 2006 | 1 | 8 |
| 2007 | 12 | 10 |
| 2008 | 29 | 11 |
| 2009 | 13 | 3 |
| 2010 | 39 | 7 |
| 2011 | 11 | 6 |
| 2012 | 39 | 7 |
| 2013 | 65 | 16 |
| 2014 | 64 | 23 |
| 2015 | 59 | 12 |
| 2016 | 38 | 7 |
| 2017 | 58 | 9 |
| 2018 | 21 | |
| 2019 | 17 | |
| 2020 | 23 | |
| 2021 | 27 | |
Images for kids
-
Leparoux on Classic Empire (left) in the 2017 Preakness Stakes
