Julien Leparoux, a two-time Eclipse Award winning rider, collected his 3,000th career win aboard Pike Place (Street Boss) in the third race at Churchill Downs on Thursday, the track said in a press release that same day.
Leparoux, 41, launched his career in 2005. Raised in Chantilly, France, Leparoux's passion for horses led him to Southern California in 2003, where he began as an exercise rider for trainer Patrick Biancone. He transitioned to race riding and earned the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in 2006. Three years later he became one of only four riders to also receive the Eclipse as Outstanding Jockey.
“I'm very thankful that my family could be here with me today for this,” Leparoux said. “It took awhile to get it done but I'm 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's career includes seven Breeders' Cup victories, highlighted by triumphs aboard such notable champions as Tepin, Classic Empire and Forever Together. His international acclaim soared in 2016 when he guided Tepin to victory in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.
In addition to his Breeders' Cup accolades, Leparoux has achieved 271 graded stakes victories while amassing earnings $199 million.
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