Jockey Jon Court

BORN: 11/23/60, Gainesville, Florida

RESIDES: Shelbyville, Kentucky

FAMILY: Krystal, wife; Donielle and Aubrey, daughters;          Justin and Aaron, sons 

Jon Court, the 2000 riding champion here and one of the most popular reinsman ever in action at Oaklawn, is back at the Spa on a regular basis. He recently arrived from Southern California where he had been riding the passed five years. 

That championship year at Oaklawn, Jon was spectacular. Not only did he fashion a brilliant winning streak, he rode four winners on February 17 and again on February 21. He bagged riding triples on February 10 and February 20, then back-to-back triples March 11-12. 

He won the Martha Washington Stakes on the flashy filly, Miss Seffens. 

At Oaklawn in 2003, he took the Spring Fever aboard Brown-Eyed Beauty. 

Court won the 1993 Second Pleasure on Thrill Courier and the 1991 Magnolia aboard Silver Glitz, both at the Spa. 

He led the riders at Ellis Park from 1987 through 1991, won jockey championships at Hoosier Park, 1996 through 1997 and Birmingham Park in 1987. 

At Hoosier, he established a meeting record 118 wins. 

Jon, who owns over 3,000 career victories, was voted the prestigious George Woolf in 2007. The latter event, held annually at Santa Anita, is given to a jockey each year whose career and character exemplify high standards of excellence in thoroughbred racing. 

Jockeys across the country participate each year in voting for a fellow rider to receive the Woolf Award. The honor has grown to be recognized as among the most prestigious awards in racing. 

Court had moved to California in 2004. It wasn’t long until he guided Leroidesanimaux to victories in two Grade I events, the Frank E. Kilroe and the Citation Handicap. He won the rich Japan Cup on Fleet Street Dancer. Among other wins were graded victories aboard Pure Gold and Healthy Addiction. 

The jockey began his riding career in 1980 at the now defunct Centennial Park in Colorado, where he won his first race aboard Neva’s Hope at the age of 19. He rode as an apprentice that year at Louisiana Downs, Tampa Bay Downs, Oaklawn and Churchill, and was the leading bug-rider at the latter two tracks. 

His first riding title materialized in 1987 at Birmingham Race Course; the next one didn’t come until 1996. 

Popular with many trainers, Jon’s regular outfit is the large stable of his father-in-law, W.H. "Jinks" Fires. 

“I have a lot of family supporting me. One of my greatest boosters in my granddaughter, Alana,” smiled Court.