Born: Nov. 23, 1960, Gainesville, Fla.
Resident: La Verne, Calif.
Height: 5'1"
Weight: 112
Family: wife Krystal, children Justin, Donielle, Aaron and Aubrey

Jon Court was born in Gainesville, Florida, where his family had horses. Inspired by Bill Shoemaker, Jon Court has ridden horses at numerous racetracks across the US. He started on thoroughbreds at Sunnygrove Farm near Ocala and in 1980 began his riding career at Centennial Park in Colorado.

Court ranks as the all-time winningest jockey at Birmingham Race Course. He also ranks as the all-time winningest jockey at Hoosier Park in Indiana and has earned leading rider titles at Ellis Park in Kentucky and Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. In 1998, Court ranked 10th among all riders by victories, with 268, and he finished 9th with 292 wins the following year. Throughout his career, Court has won more than 2,300 races and ridden the earners of more than $32-million. He has scored the richest wins of his career in a trio of $200,000 stakes: the Goldenrod Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Cup Mile Handicap at Kentucky Downs in 1999 and the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park in 1998

Career:

• Through Sept. 25, he was ranked 20th among the nation's jockeys with earnings of $5,822,325.
• Through Sept. 25, he had 103 wins from 738 starts.
• Only previous Breeders' Cup mount came in 2001 when he rode Chorwon to a sixth-place finish in the Turf.
• Top mounts of 2005 include Leroidesanimaux (G1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap) and Southern Africa (Lone Star Derby).
• Grew up in Ponce Inlet, Fla. and began riding career at Centennial Park, a now-defunct track in Colorado in 1980. His first winner was Nevada's Hope.
• Rode in Louisiana for 12 years before moving to Kentucky and Indiana in 1995.
• Was king of Hoosier Park after the Indiana track's 1995 opening, leading rider there from 1996 to 1998. In 1998, he twice rode six winners on a single Hoosier Park card and in 2000 rode six winners on a single card at Ellis Park.
• Notched his 2,000th career victory at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 20, 1999, aboard Solvig. His 3,000th victory came on April 7 at Santa Anita this year.
• Won 2002 Indiana Derby aboard Perfect Drift, the only time he rode the well-traveled gelding.
• Leading jockey at Kentucky racetracks in 2002.
• In 2003 won the Japan Cup Dirt aboard Fleetstreet Dancer and won Iowa Derby and Indiana Derby with Excessivepleasure.
• Court moved his tack to California in 2004 after winning riding titles at Ellis Park, Turfway Park, Kentucky Downs, Oaklawn Park, Hoosier Park and Birmingham Racecourse. Trainer Doug O'Neill played a key role in convincing Court to move west.
• In 2004 finished third aboard Excessivepleasure in the 2003 Godolphin Mile at Nad al Sheba.
• In January 2005, repeated his victory in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf aboard Valentine Dancer at Gulfstream Park. Court had won the 2004 edition of the race at Santa Anita with her.