By Noah Joseph
In the 21st Century, few owners in horse racing have been as dominant as Ken and Sarah Ramsey. One of the leading owners in the USA, they’ve also been successful outside of America, winning races in Canada, Europe, and even Dubai. In the states, they’ve won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Owner four times, and four Breeders’ Cup races as well as a bevy of stakes races. Canterbury Park has become a happy hunting ground for the Ramseys, as they’ve won several races here over the years.
The first major success that would happen in Minnesota for the Ramseys would be in the 2005 Brian Barenscheer Juvenile Stakes with Dawn Of War. Jockey Derek Bell would ride Dawn Of War to victory in the five and a half furlong race for trainer Dale Romans. Dawn Of War later won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, and even ran in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Nevertheless, the road to Canterbury glory was just beginning for the Ramseys.
Winning claiming races has been a key to success for the Ramseys, who claim horses and develop them into top runners. The Claiming Crown, a day to celebrate claimers, has been one of the most fruitful days for the Ramseys. In 2008-2010, when the Claiming Crown was held at Canterbury, the presence of the Ramseys was strongly felt. The first score was in the Claiming Crown Emerald Stakes with Self Made Man. Miguel Mena rode for trainer Mike Maker, who trains for the Ramseys. In 2009, Chasing the Prize won the Claiming Crown Express with Julien Leparoux aboard. The 2010 Claiming Crown was a banner one for the Ramseys, Maker, and Leparoux, as they teamed up to win two races. They won the Claiming Crown Emerald with the favored Inca King, and the Claiming Crown Jewel with Headache.
In 2013, the Ramseys sent Awesome Flower to Canterbury to run in the Lady Canterbury. She lived up to the first part of her name, winning impressively despite the race being off the turf. Awesome Flower won the Lady Canterbury for a second straight year in 2014, again in a race off the turf. Awesome Flower became the first and only horse to win the Lady Canterbury back-to-back.
In 2018, they sent Sniper Kitten to Shakopee for the Mystic Lake Derby. Sniper Kitten was a son of Kitten’s Joy, a multiple Grade 1 winner and by far the most successful horse owned by the Ramseys. Sniper Kitten looked just like his daddy, winning in dramatic but dominant fashion with jockey Tyler Gaffalione. But this win was soon to become deja vu for the Ramseys. Last Saturday, Faraway Kitten gave the Ramseys and Mike Maker back-to-back wins in the Mystic Lake Derby. Orlando Mojica rode Faraway Kitten to victory, continuing the reign of the Ramseys at Canterbury.
