Leparoux picks it up with stakes sweep

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It hasn’t been the best of years for jockey Julien Leparoux, but things could be a lot worse.

In fact, you won’t hear Leparoux complaining one bit after what he accomplished Saturday at Churchill Downs in sweeping twin turf stakes for 3-year-olds – the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere on the filly Sparkling Review and the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf on Heart to Heart.

“I had a good Keeneland meet, and Churchill has been good, too,” Leparoux said. “We are hoping to go to Florida with lots of momentum and business.”
Into this week, 2014 mount earnings for Leparoux stand at nearly $7.2 million, which is terrific for your everyday jockey – but not for someone who has averaged nearly $13 million a year and never dipped below the $10 million mark since his first full season in 2006. Leparoux, 31, is a two-time Eclipse Award winner who set the bar extremely high for himself.

“This is our first full year back in Kentucky, and we’ve had to try to take some business back,” he said, referring to himself and agent Steve Bass having spent much of 2012-13 in New York and California.

His winning stakes rides Saturday were textbook contrasts: Sparkling Review had to be threaded through horses for a rallying win, and Heart to Heart had to be settled on the lead.

“Both are very talented horses,” he said. “The competition in the filly race was very good, and the colt relaxed very well for me. Both won very easy.”
Leparoux will move to Gulfstream Park for the winter as soon as the Churchill meet ends Nov. 30.