Jon Court
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Jon Court | ||
Occupation: | Jockey | |
Birthplace: | Gainesville, Florida, U.S. | |
Birth date: | November 23, 1960 | |
Career wins: | 3,000+ | |
Major Racing Wins & Honours & Awards | ||
Major Racing Wins | ||
West Virginia Derby (1998) Lone Star Derby (2001, 2005) Silverbulletday Stakes (2002) Indiana Derby (2002, 2003) Japan Cup Dirt (2003) Clement L. Hirsch Handicap (2004) Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf (2004, 2005) Sport Page Breeders' Cup Handicap (2005) Citation Handicap (2007) |
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Racing Awards | ||
George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award (2007) | ||
Significant Horses | ||
Fleetstreet Dancer, Cambiocorsa Perfect Drift, Leroidesanimaux Excessivepleasure |
Jon Kenton Court (born November 23, 1960 in Gainesville, Florida) is an American jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing.
Having grown up in Florida, Jon Court began riding in Colorado at the now closed Centennial Park in 1980.
He rode in Louisiana for 12 years before moving to Kentucky and Indiana in 1995 where he was a top rider at Hoosier Park from 1996 to 1998. In 1999, he gained his 2,000th win at Kentucky Downs.
In 2004, he moved to California tracks on the advice of trainer Doug O'Neill after winning titles at Ellis Park, Oaklawn Park, Turfway Park, Kentucky Downs, and Birmingham Racecourse. His 3,000th winner was posted at Santa Anita Park in April 7, 2005, 25 years to the day from his first win.
In 2006, Jon Court was elected secretary of the Jockeys' Guild and is the Guild's representative board member for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's (NTRA) Charities-Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund.
In February of 2007 he was voted the prestigious George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. Called "an unfailingly polite man" by ESPN, the Award is voted on by American jockeys and is given to a jockey who demonstrates high standards of personal and professional conduct, on and off the racetrack.