Jockey Geroux Earns North American Win 1,000

Jockey Florent Geroux notched his 1,000th win in North America Dec. 29 when he scored a clear victory aboard Mr. Misunderstood in the second race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Geroux, who was born in France, entered jockey school at age 13, began riding at 17, and in 2005 was the leading apprentice rider in France. The 1,000 wins milestone counts only his victories in North America, where he began riding briefly in 2007 and then full-time in 2008.

In Thursday's win, Geroux and even-money favorite Mr. Misunderstood rated in ninth early in the field of 11 in the claiming race for juveniles at about one-mile on the turf. Trained by Brad Cox for Flurry Racing Stables, Mr. Misunderstood rallied four wide in the second turn under Geroux then took command in the stretch to win by 3 1/2 lengths.

Geroux, 30, earned North American victory 1,000 in his 6,444th start. Many of those wins have come at Fair Grounds where he finished as leading rider for the 2015-2016 meet.

"It's a great feeling," Geroux said. "I've had a big year and it has been lots of hard work. It's been a big team effort with the owners, trainers, and my agent Doug Bredar. A lot of miles and sacrifice with my family, but it feels great to get the first thousand. I can't wait to get another and I hope it comes even quicker."

A three-time Breeders' Cup winner in his career, this year Geroux ranks fifth in purse earnings at more than $17.5 million through Dec. 28. He earned his first Triple Crown placing this year by guiding Gun Runner to a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

This season Geroux boasts 30 graded stakes wins through Dec. 28 including 10 grade I scores. His grade I wins of 2016 include I'm a Chatterbox in the Delaware Handicap and Juddmonte Spinster Stakes, Catch a Glimpse in the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes, Cavorting in the Ogden Phipps Stakes, Sea Calisi in the Beverly D. Stakes, Gun Runner in the Clark Handicap, Al's Gal in the E. P. Taylor Stakes Presented by HPIBet, Beach Patrol in the Secretariat Stakes, World Approval in the United Nations Stakes, and Victory to Victory in the Natalma Stakes.