(Twitter/JulienLeparoux)
Jockey Julien Leparoux is headed into the 2017 Kentucky Derby and he is riding one of this year’s favorites, a horse named Classic Empire. Idaho Statesman reports that Leparoux has actually been surprised with all the success he has been having, explaining that:
The winter’s been crazy, Derby-wise. Went from nothing to having three in the Derby. … We picked up Irap and win the Blue Grass, which was a good surprise, and then State of Honor has run good all winter. It’s been a good winter and spring, for sure.
Trainer Doug O’Neill has been singing Leparoux’s praises, saying that:
He’s just a phenomenal, tremendous jockey with the ‘it’ factor where horses give their best efforts for him. What I love about Julien the few times I’ve used him is he’s very prepared. He knew what he wanted to do in that race and he put it to work.
Leparoux was raised in a horse-racing family and has been around the industry all his life. In December 2012, he married wife Shea Mitchell, who grew up in the same kind of atmosphere as her father was a horse trainer. Mike Mitchell is Shea’s father and his father was a horse trainer as well. In 2015, Mike Mitchell died at age 66 after battling brain cancer. In 2012, BloodHorse reports that he underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor, but apparently that didn’t end his battle. Upon his death, wife Denise wrote the following message on Facebook:
Mike went home to be with the Lord today. We are overwhelmed by the prayers and love that has been sent out our way. …(He) fought the good fight and has finished the race and most importantly has kept the faith.
In addition to daughter Shea, Mike Mitchell also left behind daughter McCall, who is married to Craig Rounsefell of Boomer Bloodstock.
He’s already got his jockey cap on. Little Mitchell Leparoux playing in the Casse barn w/mom and dad watching @JulienLeparoux @SheaLeparoux!
So, how did Shea Mitchell and Julien Leparoux get together? Mitchell was at a race where Leparoux broke his hand and Mitchell took to Twitter, saying “I hope you’re ok.” It didn’t take long for the two to publicly find romance together. In 2012, Daily Racing Form reported that Leparoux was moving California, where Mitchell was living, most likely so that they could be closer. When the move occurred, Mitchell was reportedly working as an entertainer at Disneyland.
The couple has one son together, a boy named Mitchell Leparoux, who was born on September 24, 2015. We wonder if they named their son in tribute to Shea’s maiden name. At just a few days old, Leparoux’s son was already watching his father racing horses. Have a look at Leparoux with his son in the below tweet.
Mitchell is often showing her support for her husband Leparoux via social media, especially with the Derby upon us. From photos to sweet messages, she has been posting many tweets leading up to the big day.
