Report: Judge clears Ward to sell Ramsey horses to pay down debt

A judge in Kentucky is allowing Wesley Ward to sell 14 horses he trains for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, BloodHorse reported Thursday.

The approval, which was granted during a hearing on Thursday, is part of an ongoing lawsuit in which Ward claims the Ramseys owe him close to $1 million.

The horses will be put in the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale, according to the report. Among those set to go through the ring is Artie's Princess, a Grade 2 winner at Woodbine. 

"The motion was made to escrow the funds and that is what we will do per the order," Ward's attorney, Graham Morgan, told BloodHorse. "The funds are to be held for Wesley's benefit but there are still issues that need to be resolved.

In a Dec. 2 motion in Jessamine County Circuit Court, Ward claimed that he had proposed measures to reduce the debt, including running the 14 horses and applying any purse money toward the debt, but that Ramsey declined and would not allow him to enter the horses in races.

Attorneys representing the Ramseys filed a counterclaim on Tuesday against Ward that includes allegations of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties and breach of good faith and fair dealing, BloodHorse reported. Court documents indicate that Ken Ramsey fired Ward as his trainer on Nov. 10.