2023 Kentucky Derby jockey profile: Christophe Lemaire

Who is Christophe Lemaire?

The career of globetrotting jockey Christophe Lemaire can be divided into two halves, both stacked with success in major races.

Born in France, 43-year-old Lemaire started his career in 1999 and quickly found success both on home soil and throughout Europe. Riding primarily on the turf courses found throughout Europe, Lemaire won a bevy of French classics aboard talented runners like Le Havre, Divine Proportions, Stacelita, and Sarafina. In Great Britain, he snatched the historic 2000 Guineas (G1) aboard Mafki and the 1000 Guineas (G1) aboard Natagora.

But the international stage beckoned, and Lemaire found himself traveling the globe to ride in major races. In 2005, he won Japan’s prestigious Arima Kinen (G1) aboard Heart’s Cry. The following year, he guided Heart’s Cry to win the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) in Dubai and won the Hong Kong Cup (G1) aboard Pride. In 2009 Lemaire picked up the Japan Cup (G1) aboard Vodka, and in 2011 he partnered with Dunaden to win the historic Melbourne Cup (G1) in Australia.

In the mid-2010s, Lemaire shifted gears to focus on riding in Japan, and the results have been stellar. He ranked as Japan’s leading jockey by races won every year from 2017 through 2021, along the way guiding superstar Almond Eye to sweep the Japan Fillies Triple Crown. Many of his victories have come on turf, but he’s also enjoyed success over Japan’s dirt tracks, winning the February (G1) aboard Mozu Ascot (2020) and Cafe Pharoah (2021) and the Japan Cup Dirt (G1) aboard Kane Hekili (2008) and Belshazzar (2013).

More recently, Lemaire has picked up the mount on Japan’s Derma Sotogake, guiding the colt to a gate-to-wire victory in the $2 million UAE Derby (G2). That 5 1/2-length romp earned Derma Sotogake a ticket to compete in the 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, which will mark Lemaire’s second ride in the Run to the Roses.

Let’s take a few moments to review Lemaire’s limited U.S. riding record, analyzing his performances riding at tracks that host multiple Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races:

All stats listed above from Jan. 1, 2018 through April 25, 2023. Generated by STATSMASTER, Powered by TrackMaster, an Equibase Company.

Lemaire at Churchill Downs

Although Lemaire has been riding for years, his trips to the United States have been infrequent. His only mount since 2014 came at Churchill Downs in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, when he rode Japanese hopeful Crown Pride to a 13th-place finish.

Lemaire at Santa Anita

Lemaire hasn’t ridden at Santa Anita within the last five years, but back in 2012 he visited the California oval to ride in a trio of Breeders’ Cup races on grass, winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) aboard Flotilla.