Ramseys to cut back thoroughbred interests

Leading US owner-breeder Ken Ramsey has begun to cutback his thoroughbred interests in a bid to reduce his stock by 50 per cent.

Ramsey and his wife Sarah have around 630 horses at their Ramsey Farms racing and breeding operation in Kentucky and are expecting to have 100 foals on the ground this year.

Top-class horses bred by the Ramseys include leading American turf sire Kitten’s Joy and his progeny Bobby’s Kitten, Stephanie’s Kitten, Real Solution and Big Blue Kitten.

Speaking to the Paulick Report, Ramsey said: “We want to downsize to have a quality operation instead of a quantity operation. I’m not having a dispersal. I’m not having a fire sale. Our goals are changing. Our focus is changing.

“More than anything else, it’s kind of got out of control. They actually cost you more money to own than a good horse because they have infirmities and they need vet work to keep them running.”

The move was urged by the Ramseys' son Jeff, who also spoke to the Paulick Report and added: “We don’t have oilfields at our disposal. All of our income is derived from breeding and selling and racing horses.

“We kept 400 and more horse in training, and that’s just very expensive. When we look at ways to make ourselves more profitable, we look at the number of horses we have in claiming races.”

With a current broodmare band of 220 mares, even after selling 60 at recent sales, Ramsey Farm’s stud manager Mark Partridge indicated to the Paulick Report that the goal is to cut that number down to 120. There is also likely to be substantial offerings at every major US sale in America this year from the operation.

The Ramseys also have around 92 two-year-olds currently in training and the plan is to sell them privately while being selective about the ones they retain.