Leparoux, 33, is a jockey from France. He spends about six months of the year in Louisville, where he lives off the Gene Snyder near the Paddock Shops.
Earliest childhood memory?
“Spending the summer with my dad in Deauville, France, and helping him around the barn.”
How’d you make your first dollar?
“Galloping horses. I always wanted to be a jockey, although I studied to be an accountant in school.”
What song has been stuck in your head lately?
“‘24K Magic’ by Bruno Mars and ‘Shape of You’ by Ed Sheeran.”
Your most noticeable quirk?
“I like to crinkle paper.”
The most unusual benefit of your job?
“My family can come to watch me any day.”
Who’s doing big things in Louisville under the radar?
“He’s not necessarily under the radar, but the trainer I ride for, Mark Casse, will for sure continue to do big things in Louisville.” (As of mid-March, Casse’s Derby hopefuls were Classic Empire and State of Honor.)
Favorite possession?
“My cell phone. I wouldn’t know what to do without it.”
Favorite thing hanging on the walls of your home?
“An old photo of a horse from my grandfather, which we have displayed in our living room.”
What Louisville dish have you eaten more than any other?
“Havana Rumba’s chicken fricassee.”
What dish do you make at home most often?
“I don’t really cook, but I do like to barbecue in my Big Green Egg.”
What should every person try once?
“The bread from France.”
Favorite Kentucky Derby winner?
“Street Sense in 2007, because that year was the first time I rode in the Derby.” (Leparoux has ridden in every Derby since except 2014. His best finish is fifth, with Sedgefield in ’07 and Danzig Moon two years ago.)
Have any secret talents?
“I think I can dance.”
What superstitions do you believe in?
“I wear a lucky suit and tie on big days.”
What’s something you wish you had known when you were younger?
“Not to trust everyone.”
If Actors Theatre staged a production about your life, what would the performance be called?
“Frenchie of the ’Ville.”
What three people (living or dead) would be on the guest list to your ideal dinner party?
“My wife and I would have dinner with our fathers, who are now deceased.”
One thing Louisville is missing?
“An iPic upscale movie theater.”
What’s something nobody knows about you?
“I hate when people touch my feet.”
If you could write it yourself, what would your headstone say?
“The only Frenchman who doesn’t like cheese.”
What makes somebody a Louisvillian?
“Have a home in Louisville and experience Derby Week.”
Can’t-miss TV show?
“Game of Thrones and The Bachelor.”
Best book you’ve read over the past year?
“I don’t read. LOL.”
Favorite movie scene?
“The party scene from The Great Gatsby.”
Favorite album?
“David Guetta, Nothing But the Beat.”
Vices?
“Cookies and ice cream.”
If forced to get a tattoo today, what would you get?
“My son’s name.”
First thing on your bucket list?
“A cruise around the world.”
Your drink?
“Champagne.”
This originally appeared in the April 2017 issue of Louisville Magazine. To subscribe to Louisville Magazine, click here. To find your very own copy of Louisville Magazine, click here.
Illustration by Kendall Regan
