Julien Leparoux and Union Rags could achieve immortality in this year’s Triple Crown
Back in the day it was uncommon in the United States for a foreign jockey to come and ride horses on a regular basis, let alone make a name for himself, and achieve immortality, but thirty five odd years ago, French-born jockey Jean Cruguet moved his tack
to the United States and achieved what many dream of achieving.
The French born jockey had an opportunity to ride, Seattle Slew in the Triple Crown, a horse that was trained by Billy Turner, a former fox hunter and steeplechase rider.
At a time when it was unheard of foreign jockeys moving in the United States for good to pursue a career which was dominant by the locals, or the short men from the south, Jean Cruguet rode into history by winning the Triple Crown with Seattle Slew.
Today, we have a similar scenario, where a French born jockey, Julien Leparoux is ready to ride a serious Derby contender.
The question everyone is asking, that can history repeat itself? And the answer could come down to fate, and with it the making of a Triple Crown winner with Union Rags, because Julien Leparoux got a big break when, Union Rags’ regular ride, Javier Castellano
decided to ride for Todd Pletcher, over his trainee, Algorithms.
Under Javier, Union Rags, just like Seattle Slew won the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, and when Castellano decided to go, Michael Matz didn't take long to name Julien Leparoux to ride Union Rags in the Kentucky Derby .
The duo won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes, in their fast start together at Gulfstream Park, but the race that landed Leparoux right in the middle of some serious criticism was the Florida Derby, where the pair finished third.
It was said that, how Leparoux could under an early Derby favourite could let a long shot steal an important Derby prep race from right under his nose.
The jockey reached criticism strongly and responded on Twitter saying “I’m going to stay off Twitter tonight BUT to all the ones that say I (stunk), I will prove you wrong.”
Leparoux has got 11 days to prove his critics wrong, and by the looks of it, the jockey has soaked up all the criticism and will use it as motivation come the Derby day, and ride into immortality if he goes on to achieve which many have failed to do so.
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