Ramseys Win John Deere Breeders Award
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Photo:
Breeders' Cup Limited
Bolstered by homebred Stephanie’s Kitten, winner of the Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile Fillies Turf, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey are the first recipients
of the John Deere Award as outstanding breeders of the 2011 Breeders’
Cup Challenge series and the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
The
John Deere Award, presented by Breeders’ Cup Limited and NTRA
Advantage, emphasizes the contribution of breeders to the Breeders’ Cup
program. The industry’s breeders fund the purses for the World
Championships through annual nominations of foals and stallions.
The
John Deere Award winner was awarded to the breeder who received the
highest number of points based upon graded/group first-place finishes in
the 68 Breeders’ Cup Challenge races and the 15 Breeders’ Cup World
Championships races held this year. In an extremely close competition,
the Ramseys finished with 22 points, just two points ahead of five
breeders all with 20 points each: Gregg Anderson, Adena Springs,
Grapestock LLC, Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings and Whisper Hill Farm.
The
Ramseys earned their 22 points from victories by the 2-year-old filly
Stephanie’s Kitten, who captured the Darley Alcibiades (gr. I) at
Keeneland and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. II) at
Churchill Downs; and from a triumph by the 5-year-old Holiday for Kitten
in the Thoroughbred Club of America (gr. II) at Keeneland.
Kitten’s
Joy sired both Stephanie’s Kitten and Holiday for Kitten. Stephanie’s
Kitten is out of the Catienus mare Unfold the Rose and Holiday for
Kitten is out of the Cure the Blues mare Blue Holiday.
“On
behalf of myself, my wife Sarah Kathern, our four children—Scott, Jill
Jeffrey and Kelly—and all our valued employees, we’re thrilled and
honored to receive this award from John Deere,” said Kenneth Ramsey,
whose farm is based in Nicholasville, Ky. “We’ve been blessed to breed
such a wonderful animal as Kitten’s Joy and to stand him here on our
farm. We’re all so proud of him, along with our one other stallion
Catienus. We think Kitten’s Joy will be the next great international
stallion.
“When
Stephanie’s Kitten won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf—with all
my family there—knowing we had bred her stallion, bred her mare, and
bred the two together, I would say the emotion was higher than when we
won the Dubai World Cup with Roses in May.”
NTRA Advantage and John Deere will provide a John Deere TS Gator Utility Vehicle to the Ramseys.
“We
use John Deere equipment here on my farm almost exclusively. All my
tractors and all my lawnmowers are John Deeres,” said Kenneth Ramsey.
“I so appreciate the discounts we get on these products from NTRA
Advantage.”
The
John Deere Award point system was based on wins in
Challenge/Championships stakes races for U.S and Canadian Grades events
and International Group events:
Grade/Group I 10
Grade/Group
II
6
Grade/Group III 4
Ungraded 2
The five breeders finishing in a second place tie with 20 points each were:
Adena Springs -Bourbon Bay - Cougar II Hcp. (gr. III); Celtic New Year, Del Mar Hcp. (gr. II) and Game on Dude, Goodwood Hcp. (gr. I)
Gregg Anderson – Amazombie - Ancient Title Hcp. (gr. I) and Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I)
Grapestock LLC - Regally Ready – Nearctic Stakes (gr. I) and Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (gr. I)
Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings - My Miss Aurelia – Frizette Stakes (gr. I) and Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I)
Whisper Hill Farm -Tizway – Metropolitan Hcp. (gr. I) and Whitney Hcp. (gr. I)
“We
were delighted with the extremely competitive results for the inaugural
year of the John Deere Award and congratulate the Ramseys on their
outstanding success,” said Carter Carnegie, Breeders’ Cup Senior Vice
President. “Over the years, John Deere has been a great partner with the
Breeders’ Cup and their expanded role in teaming with NTRA Advantage to
create this new award has proven to be is a great way to recognize and
promote the essential importance of our breeders to the Breeders’ Cup
program.”
“We
are excited that the John Deere Award generated such a tight
competition,” said Dwight Ange, John Deere Corporate Account Manager.
“We are pleased to highlight the hard work and dedication of all
breeders through this award.”
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