Julien Leparoux, a veteran chief within the Churchill Downs jockey colony and two-time Eclipse Award winner, reached a unprecedented milestone Nov. 29 together with his 3,000th profession win aboard Pike Place in Race 3.
Leparoux, 41, has been a continuing presence within the winner’s circle since launching his profession in 2005. Raised in Chantilly, France, Leparoux’s ardour for horses led him to Southern California in 2003, the place he started as an train rider for coach Patrick Biancone. His expertise within the saddle shortly grew to become evident, and he transitioned to race driving. He earned his first Eclipse Award as Excellent Apprentice Jockey in 2006 and later grew to become one in every of solely 4 riders to additionally obtain the Eclipse as Excellent Jockey, claiming the glory in 2009.
“I am very grateful that my household might be right here with me in the present day for this,” Leparoux stated. “It took awhile to get it carried out however I am very completely satisfied I used to be capable of do it in the present day. Churchill Downs and Kentucky have been such an enormous a part of my profession and it was nice to do it at dwelling.”
Leparoux has guided 1,058 winners at Churchill Downs, which embrace 62 graded stakes winners.
Leparoux’s illustrious profession, which has yielded an general 17% win-rate and 44% finishes within the cash, contains seven Breeders’ Cup World Championships victories. He rode his first Breeders’ Cup winner in 2007 with Nownownow within the Juvenile Turf (G1T). In 2009, he rode three Breeders’ Cup winners: She Be Wild within the Juvenile Fillies (G1), Furthest Land within the Filth Mile (G1), and Knowledgeable Determination within the Filly and Mare Dash (G1). His different World Championships winners included champions Tepin (2015 Mile, G1, winner and 2015-16 champion grass mare), Traditional Empire (2016 Juvenile, G1, winner and champion 2-year-old colt), and Ceaselessly Collectively (2008 Filly and Mare Turf, G1T, winner and 2008 champion grass mare). His worldwide acclaim soared in 2016 when he guided Tepin to victory within the prestigious Queen Anne Stakes (G1) through the Royal Ascot meet.
For his profession, Leparoux has ridden 422 black-type stakes winners that embrace 272 in graded stakes. His profession mounts have amassed greater than $200 million in earnings as of Nov. 29.
Pike Place is a 4-year-old gelded son of Road Boss owned by Roddy Valente and educated by Anthony Quartarolo. The one-mile, $50,000 claiming race delivering Leparoux’s milestone was the jockey’s fourth journey aboard the gelding and their second victory collectively. They obtained their first win again in Might in a one-mile claimer at Churchill Downs. On Thanksgiving Day, Pike Place tracked in final place for the primary six furlongs of the race after which accelerated monitoring six-wide off the rail into the stretch and received driving by 4 3/4 lengths.
