Jon Kenton Court

Since winning his first race at the now-defunct Centennial Park in Colorado in 1980, Court has been a dominant rider in the Midwest, competed successfully at major tracks across the country, won the Japan Cup Dirt and has been an officer of the Jockeys’ Guild. Court grew up in Ponce Inlet, Fla., and is based in Louisville, Ky.  He was the leading rider at the now-defunct Birmingham, Ala., track in 1987 and was the leading rider at Ellis Park from 1987 to 1991. Court rode in Louisiana for 12 years before leaving for Kentucky and Indiana in 1995. He became the king of Hoosier Park after the 1995 opening and won three riding titles. In 2000, he was the leading rider at Oaklawn Park.

Court’s wife, Krystal, is the daughter of Midwest trainer Jinks Fires. In 2011, Court guided Fires’ colt Archarcharch to victory in the Arkansas Derby and went on to ride in the Kentucky Derby for the first time. The colt suffered a leg injury late in the race and was retired. After five years of riding in Southern California, which also included a stint on the hit Animal Planet show “Jockeys,” Court returned to the Midwest in 2009.

For 2013, Court is the pilot for Will Take Charge, a D. Wayne Lukas trainee, riding the colt in all three of the Triple Crown races.