Leparoux's 3,000th Win Earns Him Jockey of the Week

Two-time Eclipse Award winner Julien Leparoux added another milestone to his already impressive list of achievements when he won the third race aboard Pike Place at his home track Churchill Downs on Thanksgiving Day for career win 3,000. The panel of racing experts recognized the extraordinary achievement and voted Leparoux with Jockey of the Week November 25 through December 1.

The weekly honor acknowledges jockeys for significant riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

"I'm very thankful that my family could be here with me today for this," Leparoux said to Churchill Downs publicity after reaching the milestone. "It took while to get it done but I am very happy I was able to do it today. Churchill Downs and Kentucky have been such a big part of my career and it was great to do it at home."

Leparoux, 41, is a native of Senlis, France and moved to the United States in 2003 as an exercise rider for trainer Patrick Biancone in southern California. He transitioned to racing riding in the summer of 2005 winning his first career race at Saratoga on August 18, 2005 with just his third mount. Leparoux won the 2006 Eclipse Award as Outstanding Apprentice when he led the U.S. with 403 victories and the 2009 Eclipse Award as Outstanding Jockey, one of only four riders to earn both awards. He became a United States citizen in January, 2018.

Leparoux has won seven Breeders' Cup races including aboard champions Tepin, Classic Empire and Forever Together. He travelled to England in 2016 to guide Tepin to a victory in the prestigious Queen Anne Stakes (GI) during the Royal Ascot meet.  Leparoux also travelled to Jamaica in December, 2023 to win that country's most prestigious race, the Mouttet Mile aboard Rough Entry.

Leparoux has enjoyed great success at Keeneland becoming only the fourth rider in Keeneland history to win 500 races at the track and has won 12 leading rider titles. He won six races on a 10-race card on April 20, 2012 to equal the record for most wins on a single card set by Craig Perret and Randy Romero.

A leader in the jockeys' room, Leparoux became just the fifth rider in Churchill Downs history to achieve 1,000 wins on June 4, 2022. He was named the 2022 recipient of the Mike Venezia Memorial Award which recognizes jockeys who display extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship as shown by the New York rider who died in a 1988 riding accident at Belmont Park. 

This week, Leparoux will be riding at Turfway Park on Wednesday for opening day and at Oaklawn Park on Friday for their opening day.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Jose L. Ortiz with five stakes wins between Zia Park and Mahoning Valley, Umberto Rispoli who won the Gr. I Hollywood Derby, Luis Saez with three stakes wins including two graded as well as the leading rider title at Churchill Downs for the third time and Hall of Famer John Velazquez with two graded stakes wins including the Gr. I Matriarch.