Florent Geroux

Jockey

Born: July 16, 1986 in Argentan (Normandy), France

  • Perhaps the surest bet at Oaklawn in 2021 was that Florent Geroux would have a much bigger impact on the jockey standings than he did during his first stint as a regular in 2012 when he came to Hot Springs to ride primarily for powerful Midwest Thoroughbreds. Through late March he was among the leading riders at the meet and among his stakes victories were the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes with Caddo River, the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes with two-time champion Monomoy Girl and $350,000 Azeri Stakes with 2020 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil, all for his main client Brad Cox.
  • Teamed with Cox to win two Breeders' Cup races in 2020, the Juvenile Fillies Turf with Aunt Pearl, and their second Distaff (G1) with Monomoy Girl, who also won the race in 2018. Among his other four Breeders' Cup wins are the 2017 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) with Gun Runner and 2014 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) with Work All Week.
  • Also in 2020, teamed Cox to win the Louisiana Derby (G2) with Wells Bayou, Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) with Bonny South, Kentucky Turf Cup (G3) with Arklow and the Razorback Handicap (G3) with Warrior’s Charge.
  • First graded stakes win came in the 2010 Pucker Up Stakes (G3) at Arlington on Dabe Babe.
  • His father, Dominique Geroux, was a jockey and trainer. Florent was 13 when he entered a jockey school in his native France and at 17 began riding races.
  • First career win: Chopyluz at Longchamp in 2004. He was France’s leading apprentice in 2005.
  • Moved to California in 2007 as an apprentice where he exercised horses and rode a few races for trainer Patrick Biancone. But visa problems and two injuries forced to leave the United States. He went to Ireland and worked for six months at Coolmore Stud before returning to the U.S. in 2008.
Photo of Florent Geroux