With Granny Mc’s Kitten’s victory in the $100,000
P.G.
Johnson on Wednesday, owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey set a modern-day record
for single-meet victories at Saratoga.
With five full days of racing remaining, Ramsey-owned horses have visited the
winner’s circle 19 times during Saratoga’s historic 150th anniversary meet. The
previous record for victories by an owner, as can be ascertained through
available records, was 18, set by Zayat Stables in 2007.
“It’s pretty special,” Ken Ramsey said. “We own the mare and the stallion and
it’s named after my sister and it breaks the all-time record up here at
Saratoga. I couldn’t have planned it any better.”
The Ramseys, who were the leading owners at Saratoga in 2009 (13 wins) and
2008 (12 wins), headed into Wednesday’s card nine victories ahead of Darley
Stables, Klaravich and Drawing Away Stable, all tied for second with nine.
In the P.G. Johnson, Granny Mc’s Kitten came between two horses to post a 1
3/4-length victory under jockey Javier Castellano. It was the first win in two
starts for the two-year-old homebred daughter of Kitten’s Joy, who paid $5.70 to
win.
“We ended up getting the top jock and the best post (No. 1); all she had to
do was do it, and she did,” Ramsey said. “We’re going to take her down and run
her in the Miss Grillo Stakes (October 6 at Belmont Park). That’s a ‘Win and
You’re In’ race, and then it’s on to the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Fillies Turf).”
The couple has had an outstanding year across the country. They were the
leading owners at the Churchill Downs spring meet with a record 32 victories and
at the Keeneland spring meet with 25 winners, another record. They also were the
leading owners at Gulfstream Park this past winter with 43 winners.
On August 17, Ramsey-owned horses won three Grade 1 races: The Sword Dancer
Invitational at Saratoga with Big Blue Kitten, the Arlington Million with Real
Solution and the Secretariat with Admiral Kitten, both at Arlington Park.
The Ramseys, who own Ramsey Farm near Nicholasville, Kentucky, and also live in
Sunny Isles, Florida, were voted the Eclipse Award as Outstanding Owner in 2011
and in 2004, when their Kitten’s Joy was voted the year’s top turf male.
Earlier on Saratoga’s Wednesday card, the $100,000
My Flag
Stakes turned into a walkover for MeB Racing Stables and Brooklyn Boyz
Stables’ Flash Forward as the three-year-old daughter of Curlin romped by 8 1/4
lengths. With jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons, the Dominick Schettino-trained
chestnut tracked in midpack on the backstretch before taking command in the lane
and easily pulling clear to stop the clock in 1:49 4/5 for nine furlongs on the
fast track.
Flash Forward earned her first stakes victory in the My Flag, having
previously placed in the Broom Dance and Open Mind, and improved her record to
3-2-0 from nine starts and $173,290 in career earnings.
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