Last Samurai Slays Competition in Oaklawn Handicap
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Photo: Coady Photography
Jockey Jon Court guides Last Samurai to victory in the Oaklawn Handicap at Oaklawn Park
Long known as "Smiling Jon Court," owing to his affable personality and near-constant grin, the veteran rider also has another nickname.
"Jon Upset 'Em Court," the 61-year-old jockey offered in an in-house television interview April 23 after guiding Last Samurai to a 12-1, four-length surprise over Fearless in the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2).
Aggressive tactics from the rider and determination from Last Samurai were the apparent difference makers in the race. Though Willis Horton Racing's Last Samurai has long been a horse that rallies from the middle of the pack, he grabbed a more forward position Saturday at Oaklawn Park under hustling tactics from Court.
The 4-year-old Malibu Moon colt surprisingly led into the first turn of the 1 1/8-mile over anticipated pacesetter Plainsman with an opening quarter in :23.94, and though he relinquished the lead down the backstretch and on the second turn to fall back to third, he was never more than a length off the pace. Saving ground, Last Samurai produced a powerful finish, passing Plainsman in early stretch and opening up over the race's final furlong.
"It's never a bad thing to get out of the gates and get around the first turn at Oaklawn without getting whacked around," winning trainer Dallas Stewart said.
He won going away over favored Fearless, who chased outside for much of the running and nipped Plainsman by a nose for the place. 2021 Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Super Stock ran fourth.
The winner, who returned $27.80 to win, raced 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.32 following middle splits of :48.34, and 1:12.29 set by Plainsman. Last Samurai carried 117 pounds, four less than the runner-up and third-place finishers, the highweights.
"He's been a fun to work with from the time the Hortons gave me the opportunity to work with Last Samurai," Court said. "He's just been a joy in the mornings and as you may have noticed, I broke away from the pony (in the post parade) because he's just so fun to ride in the morning, and in the afternoon he gives it his best effort.
"Things set up perfectly for us, and he was willing to take on the challenge. What a blast it certainly was."
Last Samurai leads in the first turn of the Oaklawn Handicap
The victory was the first graded stakes win for the Last Samurai, and the third since 2019 for the owner/jockey combination of Willis Horton and Court. They teamed together to win the 1999 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn with the Steve Asmussen-trained Long Range Toddy and owner/jockey pairing struck again locally in the 2021 Honeybee Stakes (G3) with the Stewart-trained Will's Secret .
Saturday's victory was the second straight Oaklawn Handicap for Willis Horton of Marshall, Ark., following the 2021 win by the Asmussen-trained Silver State , owned in partnership with Winchell Thoroughbreds.
Court said it was special to win in Arkansas, where he has a home and spends the winter and spring months before riding in Kentucky.
Jon Court celebrates the win on Last Samurai
"It's a tough, tough, tough circuit here. So it's a pleasure to be a part of it, to be winning," he said. "It's just exciting for me at this stage in my career."
Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings in Kentucky, Last Samurai is out of the stakes-winning First Samurai mare Lady Samuri . He is one of two stakes winners for his dam, whose 2019 foal, Candy Raid , won the Bourbonette Oaks this spring and is an intended starter in the May 6 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs. The dam has seven foals, the youngest of which are a 2-year-old Good Magic filly named Magic Up, and Maclean's Music filly born this year.
After falling short of his reserve in the 2019 September Yearling Sale at Keeneland, Last Samurai was acquired for $175,000 by his owner from the Gene Recio consignment in 2020 at The March Sale of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's auction of 2-year-olds in training.
Saturday's victory from Last Samurai vaulted his earnings to $946,744, accomplished with a 4-3-2 record from 15 starts. Last year as a 3-year-old, the colt picked up initial black-type when second in the Greenwood Cup at Parx Racing before earning his first stakes win late in the year at Oaklawn when he took the Poinsetta Stakes. Most recently, he had been a close second in the 1 1/2-mile Temperence Hill Stakes behind elite dirt marathoner Lone Rock .
"It was a really a courageous race against a nice horse," in Lone Rock, Stewart said. "He just came out of the race so good, out of that mile and a half, and came (back) with a good work and just preceded on from there. Such a nice horse. Hopefully, he'll have a big year."