Rather than make his regular move to Fair Grounds following the end of the Churchill Downs meet late last month, the jockey Florent Geroux followed a far different path. The Japan Racing Association granted Geroux a short-term license spanning Dec. 5-31 and Geroux has taken the opportunity to expand his horizons. Geroux, who said he will probably wind up back in New Orleans during January, had a trio of second-place finishes and two thirds through Dec. 11 but no winners from his first 18 Japanese mounts. He secured a big race ride this weekend aboard Angelitas in the Group 1 Hanshin Fillies. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Geroux, 39, has ridden 75 winners this year in North America, his lowest total since 2010. His mounts have earned $10.3 million, roughly half as much as during his peak year, 2021. He earned another $7 million in purses through Hit Show’s victory in the $12 million Dubai World Cup. Geroux’s fortunes rose with the success of trainer Brad Cox, who became his major patron in 2018. During 2021, Geroux rode 97 winners – 31 in stakes – for Cox, but this season the two have partnered for just 38 wins, 10 in stakes. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.