Court Back in the Saddle at Indiana Grand

It’s hard to recall Indiana horse racing history without referring to jockey Jon Court. A member of the inaugural riding colony in 1995 at Hoosier Park, Court dominated the ranks in the first few years of pari-mutuel racing, establishing many of the early records for most stakes wins, most money earned in one meet, setting two track records and recording most wins in one meet while racking up three straight riding titles from 1996 through 1998.

Court went on to secure spots among the top 10 riders at tracks such as Keeneland, Churchill Downs, Oaklawn Park and Ellis Park. He also picked up leading rider titles at Oaklawn and Ellis. Court is a two-time winner of the Indiana Derby, guiding Perfect Drift to victory in 2002 followed by a win aboard Excessivepleasure in 2003. It was that win that caught the eye of trainer Doug O’Neill and landed Court on the Southern California circuit where he enjoyed vast success over the course of six years before returning to the Midwest. In addition to his riding skills, he was also one of the riders featured in two seasons of the popular reality television show “Jockeys” on Animal Planet. He remains the only rider in Indiana who has been the subject of a bobblehead, showing his immense popularity in the state’s racing program.

Although Court’s focus has been in Kentucky and at Oaklawn Park in recent years, he makes several appearances each season at Indiana Grand. Primed to follow the same routine this past spring, Court was involved in a racing incident on the final race of the Kentucky Derby program at Churchill Downs May 3, which caused serious injury to his right hand.

Court’s injury required detailed surgery followed by five months of therapy. Doctors predicted he would not return to riding until 2015. But after working hard, Court began getting on horses in early October and has already fulfilled commitments aboard several horses at Indiana Grand in the past two weeks. Still possessing the same talent and drive that has won him nearly 4,000 career races, Court is slowly coming back into the spotlight and is primed for another strong season of riding heading into the upcoming Churchill Downs fall meet followed by Oaklawn Park, beginning in January 2015, his regular routine.

Most of Court’s success was recorded at Hoosier Park. However, with the merge of Thoroughbred racing to Indiana Grand, he still holds three stakes records for the Brickyard, the Miss Indiana and the Ellen’s Lucky Star Stakes. Court was also victorious in three stakes races at Indiana Grand in 2013, and he still holds the record for most Indiana Derby starts with nine appearances in the 20-year history of Indiana’s most prestigious and richest Thoroughbred race.

“I’m excited to be back riding and I still have a strong drive to compete,” said Court. “I always enjoy riding in Indiana and it’s good to be back doing what I love to do.”

Source: Indiana Grand