Keeneland Barn Notes: Leparoux Wins George Woolf Memorial Award

(Jockey Julien Leparoux / Photo by Coady Media)

From the Keeneland Media Team / Amy Owens:

• KEENELAND MAINSTAY LEPAROUX TO BE HONORED WITH PRESTIGIOUS GEORGE WOOLF MEMORIAL AWARD
• THIRD WEEK SPECIAL EVENTS
• SPRING MEET LEADERS

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KEENELAND MAINSTAY LEPAROUX TO BE HONORED
WITH PRESTIGIOUS GEORGE WOOLF MEMORIAL AWARD

Nearly two weeks after being announced as recipient of the George Woolf Memorial Award, Julien Leparoux — fourth on the list of Keeneland’s all-time leading jockeys by wins — is still overwhelmed. The trophy, presented each year at Santa Anita since 1950, “honors riders whose careers and personal character earn esteem for the individual and for the sport.” Honorees are selected by a vote of fellow jockeys.

Leparoux will receive the Woolf Award this coming weekend.

“If someone told me at the beginning of my career that I would get this award, I don’t think I would have believed it,” he said. “I am very proud of the fact that all the jockeys around the country voted for me. It means a lot.”

One of the nation’s leaders for two decades, the French-born Leparoux received his start in the U.S. at Keeneland first as an exercise rider and later as an apprentice jockey. He has topped the leaderboard here 12 times, including his rookie season in which he earned the 2006 Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice. He became just the fourth person to win Eclipses as both an apprentice and a journeyman when he won the 2009 Eclipse Award.

When asked for some Keeneland highlights, Leparoux smiled and shook his head in looking back on his 518 victories, including 67 stakes. He pinpointed Tepin’s score in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) as one of the most memorable.

“So many great memories here,” he said. “All the titles and all the races. It is always special to win at Keeneland. Looking back, all of that is very, very special.”

Keeneland provided Leparoux with a life-changing event that eventually resulted in his marriage to Shea Mitchell. In October 2011, he was involved in a minor on-track mishap that prompted messages from well-wishers, including Shea Mitchell, who he met previously in Southern California. When racing shifted to Churchill Downs for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, they began dating. They married in 2012 and now have two sons.

Leparoux has been associated with Keeneland for so long that it is difficult to imagine him without the track and the track without him. He arrived from France as a dedicated worker who honed his horsemanship and riding skills for trainer Patrick Biancone. He dedicated himself to learning English by watching television and practicing at every opportunity. He continued learning to become a U.S. citizen in 2018.

“That was always part of the plan and always on my mind,” he said. “It was a step forward that was meant to be. When you move to a country, you make it home.”

THIRD WEEK SPECIAL EVENTS

Year-round

Official Keeneland Tours. Click here for availability and to purchase.

Keeneland Library is presenting the free exhibit Raices: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing, which highlights 100 trailblazing Latino men and women whose contributions have shaped Thoroughbred racing and breeding from the late 1800s to today.

The Library is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Enter Keeneland at Gate 1 on Keeneland Blvd. and take the first right on Entertainment Ct. The Library is to the left of the Keene Barn and Entertainment Center.

Spring Meet

The Keeneland Shop is open from 9 a.m. to 30 minutes following the final race and on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On race days, Milliners Corner, Wagering Central and Finish Line locations will be open.

Wednesday

WINS-Day Challenge Presented by Malone’s. Enter for $10 at Wagering Central on the first floor of the Grandstand and place a mythical $2 win and place wagers – no actual money is required – on Keeneland’s final six races of the day. This is an inexpensive way for beginner handicappers to give contests a try.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday

The Hill. No ticket or reservation is required for tailgating on The Hill, located adjacent to the Keene Barn & Entertainment Center and accessible via Gate 1 (at Man o’ War Blvd.) or Gate 4 (off Van Meter Road on the east side of Keeneland). The Hill is open from 8 a.m. to 60 minutes after the final race. Amenities are available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday

Jockey Autograph Signing. Fans will meet active and retired Keeneland riders and Hall of Famers in an event that benefits the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF), which is celebrating its 20^th anniversary. Hats, posters, goggles and autograph books that can be signed will be available for purchase; personal items may be signed with a donation to PDJF. The event is on the North Terrace from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Racetracks of America Book Signing. The first comprehensive chronicle of its kind, The Racetracks of America: From the Pre-Civil War Days to the 21st Century is an image-packed compendium of past and present U.S. race tracks with contributions by the top writers in Thoroughbred racing. Meet the book’s developers from the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and Keeneland Library and purchase a copy while supplies last. All proceeds from book sales at Keeneland will benefit the Keeneland Library Foundation. Book signing will take place outside The Keeneland Shop from noon to 4 p.m.

PDJF Telethon Presented by Lane’s End. Racing Hall of Fame riders, leading active jockeys and racing personalities will take part in the eighth annual fundraiser. Keeneland will hold a call center in the Limestone Café in the Sales Pavilion. The event will be broadcast on both FanDuel TV and America’s Day at the Races on the Fox Sports family of networks and be streamed on tvg.com. Fans can participate by calling 1 844 884-7353 from 12:30-6 p.m. or by donating directly at https://pdjf.org/donate/.

Sunday

Kids Club Family Day Presented by Golisano Children’s at UK. The Keeneland Kids Club is the Official Kids Club for Keeneland fans ages 12 and under. Children 12 and under receive free general admission (no ticket required); Kids Club members may reserve up to two complimentary general admission tickets for accompanying adults in advance of the event. Access to reserved grandstand seating in Sections A, B & C is also available. Children’s activities in the North Terrace from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. will include face painting, sweet treats and activities with such local community partners as Amplify Horse Racing, Golisano Children’s at UK, LexArts and The Salvation Army. Sign up for the Kids Club at Keeneland.com/kidsclub.

SPRING MEET LEADERS

Through April 12 (7 days of 15-day season)