French Riders Leaving Their Mark at Churchill Downs

When jockey Julien Leparoux began riding at Churchill Downs in 2005, he and Brice Blanc were the only French natives in the colony. Fast forward more than 16 years later and nearly 1,000 local wins for Leparoux, the jockey colony is flooded with French talent with the likes of Florent Geroux, Alex Achard, and recent arrivals Vincent Cheminaud and Mickaelle Michel.

Leparoux, who entered the May 27 card at Churchill Downs with 995 wins beneath the Twin Spires, started a wave of jockeys importing to the U.S. from France when he began working for trainer Patrick Biancone in 2003. Shortly after Leparoux found major success in the U.S., Geroux arrived with the help of Biancone. Since he started riding in 2007, Geroux has amassed more than $132 million in purse earnings and 1,911 wins.

Geroux and Cheminaud were on hand May 26 to watch Michel's stateside debut in race 7 when she finished second aboard Good Measure  for trainer Graham Motion in an allowance optional claiming race. She was about 25 lengths in front of Leparoux who rode Scarabea  to a distant seventh-place finish.

"It's been a great start," Michel said. "I've had help from a lot of people so far in America. I saw the success that a lot of French riders had in America and thought this would be a good move for my career."

Michel has only been in the U.S. since May 12. She has upcoming rides May 28 and May 30 at Churchill Downs.

Meanwhile, Cheminaud has ridden in the U.S. twice before his full-time move earlier this year. He's most known for riding Juddmonte's Flintshire   to victory in the 2015 Longines Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course.

Cheminaud has made all but two of his 35 North American rides this year. He is 3-7-3 in 2022, winning $391,514. 

"This place is amazing. It's going to be really fun to ride here," Cheminaud said of Churchill Downs when he first visited the track with Geroux in March.

Cheminaud began riding at Turfway Park in March.

The quartet of Cheminaud, Geroux, Leparoux, and Michel all ride primarily at Churchill Downs and will be joined several days in the jocks room by Achard, who is a regular at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

French-born jockey Flavien Prat also rode in Kentucky this spring through Kentucky Derby Day before leaving for his principal base at Belmont Park.

Overall, 14 riders have ridden this meet at Churchill Downs that are natives of European countries: Achard, Mickael Barzalona (born in France), Adam Beschizza (England), Declan Cannon (Ireland), Cheminaud, Geroux, Jack Gilligan (England), James Graham (Ireland), Christophe Lemaire (France), Leparoux, Michel, Prat, and Umberto Rispoli (Italy).