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Ageless Jon Court Voted Jockey Of The Week

A fan favorite at Oaklawn Park for 40 years, Jon Court proved he isn't slowing down as he recorded his 34th stakes victory and his 689th career victory at Oaklawn Park earning Jockey of the Week honors for Jan. 25 through Jan. 31. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Riding for trainer Dallas Stewart and owner Willis Horton in the Martha Washington, the 60-year-old Court settled Will's Secret behind the pace setter Sylvia Q who led the field of six through early fractions of :23 3/5 and :45 1/5 for the first half mile. Four wide turning for home, Will's Secret put her head in front at the top of the lane drawing clear of 4-5 favorite Couch to win by 5 ¼ lengths. The winning time was 1:38 3/5 for one mile over a muddy track.

“The strategy was to not let the speed separate from us and keep them within striking distance, just because it is a short stretch, short run to the wire,” Court said. “I was keeping that in mind and mindful that these horses do have speed that carries.”

Court added that winning the Martha Washington had added significance because it was for Horton.

“These silks mean a lot to me,” Court said. “Six years ago I won this race for the Hortons and here we are back again. The odds weren't quite as favoring, but it was a pretty awesome experience to win. I'm known for pulling off long shots. It's just what I do.”

With no plans to retire, Court added, “I'm just very, very fortunate and thankful to the higher powers.”

Lifetime statistics for Court through Sunday, January 31 include 34,427 mounts with 4,194 wins and total purses of $108,191,731.

Court out-polled fellow jockeys Jesus Castanon a stakes winner at Sam Houston, Manny Franco who was second leading jockey by purse earnings, Julien Leparoux also a stakes winner at Sam Houston and Irad Ortiz, Jr. who was the leading jockey by wins with 13.

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Sony Pictures Picks Up Rights To Sundance Festival’s ‘Jockey,’ Filmed At Turf Paradise

Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday was “Jockey,” a portrayal of a down-on-his-luck older reinsman seeking redemption filmed at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Ariz. According to thewrap.com, Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the worldwide distribution rights to the film.

“Filmmakers Clint Bentley, co-writer Greg Kwedar and producer Nancy Schafer have made such a good movie, that is engaging, satisfying, visual, and precise cinematic storytelling,” Sony Pictures Classics said in a statement. “Anchored by a truly amazing performance by Clifton Collins Jr., an actor we have admired in so many roles for over 2 decades, ably supported by Molly Parker and Moses Arias, 'Jockey' is about what happens to a professional at the end of a career with the background of horse racing, a subject of interest to audiences worldwide. We are excited to bring the movie to a wide audience this year.”

IndieWire gave “Jockey” a grade of B after its Sundance debut.

“'Jockey' has a vérité texture due to the fact that the filmmakers immersed themselves in a real racetrack in Arizona, casting actual jockeys in peripheral roles,” wrote reviewer Ryan Lattanzio. “Collins, also an executive producer here, gets possibly his meatiest role ever as a horse racer whose tenacity is also his Achilles' heel. Physically, Collins slips into (his character) Jackson's pain, stuck in a perpetual lurch when he's not on the racetrack. The performance is a deeply lived one, not only in terms of what appears to be the actor's all-in plunge into what actually goes into horse-racing, but also because of the sadness Jackson constantly seems to emanate. 'Jockey' doesn't map out exactly what's in store for Jackson by the end of it all, but it does show he has a path forward, even when redemption remains that elusive thing ahead.”

Read more at thewrap.com and indiewire.com.

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Joel Rosario Parlays Pegasus Victory Into Jockey Of The Week Title

Joel Rosario posted three stakes wins including the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup to be named Jockey of the Week for Jan. 18 through Jan. 24. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Rosario began the week at Santa Anita on Monday in the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes aboard Mucho Unusual for trainer Tim Yakteen. Breaking alertly in the scratched-down field of four, Mucho Unusual ran in second just behind the leader. A three horse battle developed in the final furlong with Mucho Unusual prevailing by three-quarters of a length.

On Saturday, Rosario travelled to south Florida from his southern California base with mounts in four stakes races on Pegasus World Cup Day at Gulfstream Park. Shug McGaughey gave Rosario a leg up on Performer in the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper, who went to the post as the 4-5 favorite in a field of eight. Breaking from the rail, Rosario eased him off the rail while chasing the leaders. He advanced on the tiring pacesetters on the turn and took a narrow lead into the stretch to win by a neck.

“I didn't want to fall too far back but be there in the race…he broke good and got the job done. He's a nice horse,” said Rosario. “It feels good to be back (at Gulfstream) even for a day. I'm glad to be here.”

Trainer Brad Cox teamed with Rosario on Knicks Go in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup. The 6-5 favorite went right to the lead and was on cruise control, cantering home by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:47.89.

“He's a very special horse,” Rosario said who has piloted Knicks Go to three straight wins. “He just goes faster and faster…He was really enjoying what he was doing out there, so I was never worried about somebody getting close to me.”

After riding on the east coast since 2013, Rosario returned to southern California for the Santa Anita Winter/Spring meet. He has won multiple riding titles in southern California and is currently third in the standings at Santa Anita.

Rosario's weekly stats were 18-5-0-1 and was the leading jockey by purse earnings with $1,929,645.

Rosario out-polled fellow jockeys Colby Hernandez who won the most races with 10, Tyler Gaffalione with two graded stakes wins, Abel Cedillo with a graded stakes and Irad Ortiz, Jr. who won the Pegasus World Cup Turf.

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Eclipse Finalist Alexander Crispin Continues Strong Maryland Tradition Of Apprentice Riders

Jockey Alexander Crispin is one of three finalists for the Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice of 2020. The winners in 17 equine and human categories will be announced during a virtual ceremony starting at 8 p.m. Thursday.

Maryland-based riders have captured 11 of the 46 Eclipse Awards as champion apprentice, the most recent being Weston Hamilton in 2018. Other winners are Chris McCarron (1974), Ronnie Franklin (1978), Alberto Delgado (1982), Allen Stacy (1986), Kent Desormeaux (1987), Mike Luzzi (1989), Mark Johnston (1990), Jeremy Rose (2001), Ryan Fogelsonger (2002) and Victor Carrasco (2013). Hamilton and Carrasco continue to be based in Maryland.

Maryland Jockey Club host and analyst Naomi Tukker had a chance to talk to Crispin about his 2020 season and what it would be like to win the Eclipse Award.

Crispin graduated from Puerto Rico's famed Escuela Vocacional Hipica in December 2019 and made his pro debut last Jan. 1 at Hipodromo Camarero. After coming to the U.S. late last winter, Cripsin was fifth in his mainland debut aboard Time Marches On March 7, 2020 at Turfway Park.

He continued to ride in the Midwest, picking up his first win March 12, 2020 on Thorpe d'Oro at Turfway, until moving his tack to Delaware Park for the summer. Crispin finished the Delaware meet as its leading apprentice, ranking second overall with 58 wins and fourth with more than $1.3 million in purse earnings.

Crispin arrived in Maryland in late October, two weeks into Laurel Park's fall meet, and wound up leading all apprentice riders and ranking third overall with 29 wins while banking $725,920 in purses earned.

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