Julien Leparoux

Julien Leparoux
Julien Leparoux at the 2009 Breeders' Cup
Occupation	Jockey
Born	July 15, 1983 Senlis, Oise, France
Career wins	2,274+ (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) Breeders' Cup wins: Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (2007) Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (2008) Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (2009) Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (2009) Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (2009) Breeders' Cup Mile (2015) Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2016) International wins: 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
Tepin, Nownownow, Forever Together, She Be Wild, Informed Decision, Classic Empire (horse)

Breeders' Cup wins:
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (2007)
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (2008)
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (2009)
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (2009)
Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (2009)
Breeders' Cup Mile (2015)
Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2016)

Julien R. Leparoux (born July 15, 1983 in Senlis, Oise, France) is an Eclipse Award winning jockey currently racing in the United States. He has won seven Breeders' Cup races, including the 2015 Breeders' Cup Mile with Champion Turf Mare Tepin.

Leparoux grew up in a racing family, the son of Robert Leparoux, a jockey turned assistant trainer. He worked at the Chantilly Racecourse as a stable hand and in January 2003 emigrated to California to work as an exercise rider for fellow Frenchman, trainer Patrick Biancone. In 2005, he became an apprentice jockey.

Leparoux is known as a finesse rider. "I just try not to fight so much with my horses," he said in a 2012 interview. "I try to be gentle around their mouths."

In December 2012, Julien married Shea Mitchell who, like Julien, is the child of a racehorse trainer. During one of the races that Shea attended, Julien fell off and broke his hand. Later that week, Shea tweeted at Julien a simple "I hope you're ok". Not long after, they got married. Shea tweeted a picture of Julien and her father with the caption "2007, when Julien rode On the Acorn for dad. He probably never guessed he was looking @ his future son in law". On September 24, 2015, their first son, Mitchell Leparoux, was born. At only 4 days old, Mitchell was out at Keeneland watching his dad warm up horses in the early morning and racing during the day!