Age a Non-Issue for Veteran Derby Jockey Jon Court

When the call for "riders up" is announced May 4 before the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Jon Court swings his leg over Long Range Toddy, the 58-year-old will officially make history as the oldest jockey to ever start in the Run for the Roses. 

In a career that spans 39 years, 4,148 wins, and $106,054,985 in purse earnings, 58 is just another number to Court. 

"Regardless of my age, I'm able to compete at this level and sometimes, without a doubt, put on a clinic for the younger riders that I'm competing with," Court said. "Yes, they're very professional and athletic, but so am I at this age, and I feel very fortunate and grateful that I have this opportunity in this stage of my career." 

Court said new training techniques allow older jockeys to continue to ride at a high level.

"I think it has a lot to do with the fact that times are changing," he said. "With innovative technology, we're finding the information highways and learning how to sustain longevity and, along with that longevity, endurance at a level we've not been accustomed to before. Over the years, I think I could single out a few people who have paid very close attention to their health, and there aren't a lot of us that do pay attention to our health.

"There are some people that have certain benefits in life, whether you want to say that it's luck or genetics, that have and keep quality of physical and cognitive function at a later age. These days, it's easy to get comfortable and complacent, swing by to get fast food, and lay on the couch and watch a great marathon series. But, personally, I'd rather take a walk on a trail, read a book, hit the gym, or go horseback riding." 

A familiar face who first burst onto the racing scene in 1980, Court has no illusions about the pressure that comes with jockeying a horse in the Kentucky Derby. Six years removed from his last start in the first leg of the Triple Crown, the opportunity to partner with Long Range Toddy first presented itself in early 2019. 

After Long Range Toddy was ridden by Richard Eramia in his first four stakes starts, Willis Horton, a longtime friend of Court, approached the jockey about exercising his promising son of Take Charge Indy before his scheduled start in the first division of the March 16 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park.

"We've had success in the past," Court said of his working relationship with Horton. "We've always stayed in touch. We discussed earlier this year the course that Long Range Toddy was on, the Derby path, and the opportunity came for me to ride him and work him one morning prior to the race, and I ended up winning on him. At the time when this was transpiring, I was thinking this would somewhat secure me on the Derby trail." 

Breaking sharply from the gate in the Rebel, Long Range Toddy and Court dueled early for the lead but settled just off the pace at the half-mile mark. Angling out four wide at the quarter pole, the two put in an impressive rally down the lane and got up in time to defeat heavy favorite Improbable by a neck in a final time of 1:42.49. 

In Long Range Toddy's most recent start in the April 13 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn, Court and the Steve Asmussen trainee pressed the pace at the start but faded as the field entered the stretch to finish sixth. 

Court's history with the Kentucky Derby has been an embattled one. His first shot at the Kentucky Derby came in 2011, when he partnered with Robert and Loval Yagos' Archarcharch. The race was the last one for the Arch colt, who stumbled at the break and finished 15th. It was discovered that he had sustained a fracture to his left front leg as well as cartilage damage, and he was retired from racing. 

In 2012, Court was back for another try, this time with Bluegrass Hall's Optimizer . Mired just off the inside rail for most of the 1 1/4-mile test, the son of English Channel  was never able to seriously threaten and finished 11th. 

One more chance came in 2013 for Court, this time aboard eventual champion Will Take Charge . Also campaigned by Willis Horton, the son of Unbridled's Song made a five-wide run in the second turn to get on even terms with Orb , but did not have enough in reserve to overtake his rivals and finished eighth. 

"I've known (Court) for years and I've used him for years, and he's always done a good job for me," Horton said. "That's the main reason that I'm using him. He's in as good a shape as any jockey out there. Physically, he stays really healthy and strong, so as long as he does that, he will be a good jockey." 

Court says he's more than ready go another round in the first of the great American classics. At the April 30 draw for the Kentucky Derby, Long Range Toddy was given post 18—the farthest outside post Court has ever left in the Derby. Following the withdrawal of Omaha Beach May 1, Long Range Toddy will move over one position to post 17. 

"I was happy with it," Court said. "I think I've got the speed on the inside, and my target horses will put me in a position where I can tuck in and save ground. The strategy would be to run down the frontrunners and hopefully get the jump on the late closers. He is a talented horse. He's very intelligent, very kind, and he's very willing to be placed where you ask him to be." 

"I feel real good," said Horton, echoing Court. "He's bred to go long. I didn't exactly like the post position, but you can't do anything about that. He's got enough speed coming out of the gate that he'll get over and save ground and be in the second flight. That's where I look for him to be." 

Should Long Range Toddy make it past the wire first Saturday, Court will be the oldest jockey to win the Kentucky Derby. Bill Shoemaker was 54 when he guided Ferdinand to victory in 1986. 

While Court admits that some may see his age as a liability in a race that can be among the most dangerous and taxing displays of equine racing prowess in North America, the veteran jockey said he prefers to see only the positive. He is a proponent of the adage "with age comes wisdom," something he plans to apply liberally on the first Saturday in May. 

"A lot of people would ask me something in the nature of, 'If you're not riding a horse before, what about XYZ?' I've been around long enough I don't have to ride one before, but I can appreciate their perception that I would want to get a feel for the track," he said. "But again, I would have to rely on my experience. I've been here since 1980, I've seen the changes, and I'm very adaptable to them. Otherwise, I wouldn't be around. I try to stay in front of that learning curve, pay attention, and be alert to such things that have been paying dividends at this stage in my career at Churchill since I had the bug in 1980." 

In the end, the only number that really matters to Court is one—the number of words he uses to describe his ultimate goal Saturday:

Win.