Court returns from broken hand with Wednesday victory

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Jon Court capped a long, painful comeback by winning the Wednesday feature aboard favored Honey Lake, giving him his first victory since he broke his hand in a spill in the final race on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs.

The fracture was a complex one and required the attention of Dr. Joseph Kutz, a former Thoroughbred owner and a world-renowned hand specialist based in Louisville, Ky.

“It was a pretty tough road back, so it feels really good to get this one,” Court said.

Court, 53, had not won a race since April 30. Going into racing on Friday, he had 3,849 winners in a career dating to 1980.

** Not only did Graham Motion sweep three straight races here Thursday, capped by Holiday Star winning the Grade 3 Sycamore with Rosie Napravnik aboard, the trainer also won with his only starter elsewhere, Pride of Stride, in the seventh race at Laurel Park.

That gave Motion a 4-for-5 record on the day, with Buck Benny finishing second behind Rapscallion in the sixth race here for an all-Motion exacta.

“Great day for Herringswell Stables,” he posted on Twitter, using his longtime nom de stable.

** Aside from several more as possible starters, Keeneland racing officials are listing the following older horses as definite for the closing-day feature, the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes: Call Me George, Coltimus Prime, Departing, Long River, Right to Vote, and Stephanoatsee.

Entries will be drawn Wednesday for the $200,000 Fayette, which is at 1 1/8 miles. It helps close out the meet Oct. 25.

** Trainer Ian Wilkes has confirmed Free as a Bird as a starter for the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita. Free as a Bird, a 5-year-old mare bred and owned by Elizabeth Valando, won her fifth consecutive turf-sprint stakes when taking the Franklin County here Oct. 10.

The 6 1/2-furlong Turf Sprint was won the last two years by Mizdirection, a filly-mare facing male rivals.

** If ever there were the prototype for an “under” play in trifectas and superfectas, Justice Judy might be it. From 23 career starts, the 4-year-old filly has one win, nine seconds, and eight thirds. Trained by Chuck Peery, Justice Judy stands an excellent chance to add to that curious record in the first race Sunday as the likely third choice behind Twitterverse and Home Town Gal in the field of six.