Jockey Court targets his comeback after suffering collapsed lung

Jon Court, Oaklawn Park’s leading rider in 2000, said in a text message last Thursday that he is targeting a comeback at the end of the meeting, scheduled for May 2.

Court, 59, hasn’t ridden since Feb. 13, when he was injured before a race that afternoon.

Court referred all other questions about his injury and rehabilitation to “Big Steve” Krajcir of Hot Springs, the jockey’s longtime agent. Krajcir said Court is recovering at home in Louisville, Ky., and may try to get on a few horses at Keeneland “to get fit again.”

“He wants to come back right before the end of the meet and ride a couple of live horses and then go to Kentucky from there,” Krajcir said Friday morning.

Krajcir said Court was hospitalized after suffering a collapsed lung and broken ribs in the accident going to the gate for the fourth race Feb. 13. Court was aboard first-time starter Line of Faith

“They were warming up and the horse got away from the pony and went to bucking and threw him off,” Krajcir said. “He landed right on his back.”

According to Equibase, Court ranked 63rd in North American history through Tuesday with 4,181 career victories. Court is among the winningest riders in Oaklawn history, with 688 victories, including 33 stakes. He won the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) in 2010 aboard Line of David for trainer John Sadler and 2011 aboard Archarcharch for trainer Jinks Fires of Hot Springs.