Lanerie, Leparoux battle it out for Churchill jockey title
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Corey Lanerie has been the dominant jockey in recent years at Churchill Downs, but he’s got company atop the standings as the 2015 spring meet winds to a close.
Julien Leparoux has been on a tear, and with just three days to go at the 38-day meet, Lanerie is clinging to a 37-36 lead.
“Everything is going great again,” said Leparoux. “I’m riding good horses for good people. It just goes that way sometimes.”
For disparate reasons, 2015 will be an unforgettable year for Leparoux and his wife, Shea. On April 14, Shea’s father, Southern California trainer Mike Mitchell, died at age 66 of brain cancer. And in September, the couple is expecting their first child.
“We’re very excited about the baby,” said Leparoux.
Dating to the 2012 spring meet, Lanerie has won the riding title at seven of the last eight Churchill meets, a string interrupted only by Shaun Bridgmohan winning the 2013 spring-meet title. Leparoux, a two-time Eclipse Award winner, was the top jockey at Churchill from 2006-09 before giving the New York and Southern California circuits a shot. His mount earnings of $7.6 million in 2014 was his lowest total since 2005, his first year as an apprentice.
As for how tight the race for top jockey at this meet could be: Leparoux has a combined 10 mounts here Thursday and Friday, while Lanerie has 12. Both are expected to have a full slate of mounts on the Downs After Dark closing-night card Saturday.
Lanerie, Leparoux, and Bridgmohan are among the Churchill jockeys headed to Saratoga, which starts July 24. Until then, Leparoux will ride mostly at Belmont Park during the week while also honoring stakes engagements on consecutive weekends at Woodbine (July 5), Arlington (July 11), and Indiana Grand (July 18).