Nicholasville, Kentucky

You are listening to Somebody Like You, sung by the Country Music Entertainer of the Year Award Winner for 2004 and 2005, Mr. Keith Urban a true champion just like Ken and Sarah. 

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For What It's Worth by Bob Fox (September 2004)

The Ultimate Patrons - Ken and Sarah Ramsey

While moderating a panel at Horse Technology Expo 2004 in Saratoga, I was elated to see Ken and Sarah Ramsey in the audience. In the audience question and answer period, there was Ken talking about fair take out and doing right by the fans by pushing for a lower take out.

As I walked around the exhibits at Expo, there was Ken and Sarah looking at a hyperbaric chamber for horses and several other exhibits.

At the Grade One Whitney, everyone at the track could see Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey walking hand in hand as they brought in Roses in May after his gallant victory in what was a true barn burner in the historic race. The Ramsey colors will be painted on a jockey statue at the entrance of the Saratoga clubhouse for the 2005 season honoring the win in the 2004 Whitney Stakes.

In the interview after the race Ken was humble giving credit to everyone in his organization for the success of his colt, who is unbeaten so far in 2004, quite possible en route to other great victories although the Whitney can be a hard one to top. Maybe, Roses in May is going to be our industry's next equine hero. It looks like the Ramsey family will have to make room for Roses in May as their next stallion.

Ken is a known as the Pick Six King and hits them quite frequently, enough to be called the Pick Six King by some of his friends. Ken moved his stallion, the stakes winning son of Storm Cat, Catienus, who was stakes placed in the Whitney and Saratoga Breeders' Cup to New York and got nearly 100 mares to him in 2004 breeding season. Catienus is off to a fast start and it looks this son of Storm Cat out of the Mr. Prospector mare Diamond City may just be the real deal. His first starter won his first race at Keeneland no less and there are several other who have won.

The Ramsey's are often the leading owners at a race meeting. As a follow up from last year when they were the leading owners at Turfway, Keeneland, Ellis Park and Churchill Downs, the Ramseys during 2004 so far, were the leading owners at Gulfstream, Keeneland and the Churchill Downs spring meeting. The leading owner status at Churchill Downs spring, marked an all time record ninth consecutive meet at the historic track, where they have been the leading owner. They buyer, race, breed, and bet and they have interest in technology, the racing fans, and well, everything about the thoroughbred business.

Roses in May is joined by stakes winners Kitten's Joy, recent winner of the prestigious Secretariat Stakes-G1 and, Badge of Silver, Nothing to Lose, recent winner of the Fourstardave-G2T at Saratoga and even Steeplechaser Party Airs. The Ramsey Stable runners are at several tracks and with many trainers, performing well and keeping the Ramsey Stable highly ranked in several categories as owners and as breeders.

The first racehorse for the Ramsey clan was a one eyed, lame $1,500 claim named Red Redeemer. In the 1980s the Ramseys had some claimers and allowance horses. In recent times Ken made some real money in the cellular phone business and Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey are out enjoy racing like no other couple on earth. Ken and Sarah are now out to breed and race a classic winner and with any kind of good luck, these true thoroughbred horse business enthusiasts will achieve their goal.

There are even more amazing things about Ken and Sarah. They bought Almahurst Farm in 1994 and renamed it Ramsey Farm. They raced Bail Out Becky to win the Del Mar Oaks-G1T and Catienus was a sensational claim who was a stakes winner and Graded Stakes Placed at Saratoga.

Ken and Sarah give their horses great names. When I asked Ken about his horse Not For Profit, he said he was in this business to win races, not for profit, but everything that the Ramseys are doing indicate that their is a genuine business profit motive behind their actions.

From betting, to claiming, to winning stakes races including some Grade Ones, to making stallions, to utilizing state incentive programs, to buying and selling horses of all ages, watch the Ramsey way of doing things. They buy and sell all over the place and in the final analysis, the Ramsey model may be one everyone can learn from when trying to figure out how to make money in every area of the thoroughbred business.

As stated before, Ken and Sarah Ramsey have continued to be the leading owner in number of races won at many meets, at many tracks in 2004 just as they have done in past years. Their stable ranks among the leading earners as well. If they have the good fortune of winning a Breeders' Cup Championship or two or three on the big day, I would think that they have truly earned the right to be voted Eclipse Champion Owner for 2004.

Without being overly explicit, I must say that the Ramseys are thoughtful and considerate people to those that train for them and to those that work for them in their organization.

For their continued excellence and avid participation in every aspect of thoroughbred business, and their wonderful human qualities, they have already earned THE 2004 BOB FOX ULTIMATE PATRONS AWARD.

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P.S.  In 2005, Ramsey stable ranks right at the top in earnings if you include Roses in May's stirring victory in the Dubai World Cup-G1.  The Grade One victory of Dawn of War in the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland and the classic placing of Nolan's Cat in the Belmont Stakes confirmed Ramsey's faith in their highly regarded second crop progenitor, Catienus as a prominent sire.