Wesley Ward | Horse Racing Free Tips

Ramseys Hit With Two Civil Suits Seeking Nearly $2 Million In Unpaid Training Bills

Multiple Eclipse Award-winning owner/breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey have been hit with a second lawsuit from one of their trainers while in the process of settling a separate suit filed last week by another. Wesley Ward filed suit against the Ramseys in Jessamine County Circuit Court March 19, while Mike Maker filed suit in Fayette Circuit Court a week earlier. Each case centers around just under $1 million in delinquent training bills.

Ward alleges that the Ramseys owe $974,790.40 in unpaid training bills, trainer's portion of winning purses, and interest. Invoices attached to Ward's suit show balances stretching back to June 2020. Although Ward concedes Ramsey has made payments in the months since, with one $50,000 payment days before the lawsuit was filed, the balance has remained in the high six figures throughout that period as training bills continue to mount.

Maker's suit alleges the Ramseys have been delinquent on training bills in his case for “almost four years” and their current balance owed to him is $905,357.29 – down from the $1.25 million they owed last summer. Maker's suit stated the couple promised to pay him in full by the end of 2020, but that did not happen. According to the complaint, Maker said $543,597.26 is more than 90 days past due.

When reached by phone last week, Ramsey said he was surprised to learn Maker had filed suit against him and was eager to work out a deal to pay Maker in full in exchange for the suit being withdrawn. As of press time, Maker's suit remained open per digital court records.

“I thought we had things worked out and I thought I had a schedule to get things worked out on,” said Ramsey, citing his long-standing relationship with the trainer. “I'm shocked. I didn't think he'd file a lawsuit because my assets well exceed what I owe him, by far.

“It's not that I'm not paying, it's just that I guess I'm not paying fast enough. I have never beaten anybody out of a dime.”

Ward and Maker both filed UCC-1 financing statements with the Kentucky Secretary of State to create liens against the horses which had racked up the unpaid invoices. Maker placed liens on 27 horses, while Ward placed liens on a separate group of 44 horses. Both trainers have had some of those horses leave their possession through retirement or claiming, with Maker down to just three still in his barn: Artie's Rose, Risk Manager, and Telephone Talker. Ward's suit seeks a court order to sell the horses named in his lien, with proceeds being applied to the unpaid balance, as well as any ongoing expenses from his day rate of $110.

The Ramseys have won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Owner four times (2004, 2011, 2013, and 2014) and the award for Outstanding Breeder twice (2013 and 2014). Since 2000, Equibase reports the couple has won 2,217 races from 9,790 starts for total earnings of more than $97 million. Their annual earnings have fallen from their peak in 2013 of over $12 million, and last year the stable brought in $2.3 million from 274 starts. Their Ramsey Farm in Nicholasville, Ky., was the longtime base for the operation's homebred and centerpiece stallion, Kitten's Joy, who relocated to Hill 'n' Dale in 2018.

Last year, Maker was also one in a long line of horsemen who were carrying outstanding balances by Zayat Stables. Ahmed Zayat filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in September 2020, listing an outstanding balance of $120,921.88 to Mike Maker among other creditors.

Maker trained a number of the Ramseys' graded stakes winners, including Vicar's In Trouble, International Star, Oscar Nominated, Admiral Kitten, Al's Gal, Kitten's Dumplings, Furthest Land, and Shining Copper.

Ward has trained graded stakes winners Artie's Princess, Emotional Kitten, Holiday for Kitten, and Pleasant Prince for the Ramseys. Ward was also tasked with accomplishing Ramsey's goal of getting a winner at Royal Ascot, which Ramsey has yet to attain.

The post Ramseys Hit With Two Civil Suits Seeking Nearly $2 Million In Unpaid Training Bills appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Ward Duo Target Royal Ascot

Group 1 winner Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Breeders' Cup victor Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) are both targeting the 2021 Royal Ascot meeting trainer Wesley Ward has announced.

The filly, a Stonestreet Stables colourbearer, will line up for the G1 Commonwealth Cup during the Royal Meeting. In 2020, Campanelle captured the G3 Queen Mary S. and then returned to Europe to add the G1 Prix Morny to her haul later in the summer. Although she has been entered in the G1 1000 Guineas and Irish equivalent, it is more likely that the six furlongs of the Commonwealth Cup holds greater appeal.

“Barbara [Banke, owner of Stonestreet Stables] is really keen on Ascot and I think six furlongs–and that's a stiff six at Ascot for the Commonwealth–with a little weight break for being a filly, that will be our main target,” Ward said via Zoom to the British Horseracing Authorityi's 2-year-old classifications press conference. “I'm kind of working from that race backwards–the Guineas really don't come into play right now unless when she's at the farm, the team gets together and decides to go in another direction.

“Our main goal would be the Commonwealth. Barbara and her whole team are really looking forward to getting back [to Royal Ascot]. She worked last week for the first time at Barbara's farm at Ocala and she looked like she's ready to go, so we're all excited.”

Golden Pal, owned by Ranlow Investments, ran second in the G2 Norfolk S. in just his second start before successful efforts in Saratoga's Skidmore S. on Sept. 21 and the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 6. The plan is the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot.

“We're really excited about this guy,” said Ward. “He will come back opening day at Keeneland, which is Apr. 1. Every year they have a straight, 3-year-old, $100-$150,000 stakes race over five and a half furlongs and that will crack off the season for him.

“He's doing fantastic–he came out of the Breeders' Cup in great shape and we're going to try the same route we did with Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) and go to the King's Stand with him. I think the five should see him right between the ears there. He's grown in height and he's broadening out–he's a really beautiful colt right now. I think he's going to be a tremendous sprinter this year.”

However, the King's Stand S. is not the only overseas goal for the colt. The G1 Nunthorpe S. against elders has been set as a longer-term target for Golden Pal.

“The Nunthorpe has eluded me and that will almost be the main goal for this guy,” Ward continued. “We're going back to the King's Stand [first], but as the summer progresses the 3-year-olds catch up to the 4-year-olds and I'm really looking forward to that race at York.

“This guy [Golden Pal] has proven he can go on all types of ground–he's a very exciting sprinter, one of the best I've ever trained and hopefully could be the best with the accomplishments we've set out for him this spring, summer and hopefully culminating in the fall.

“He's a really, really exciting horse to train, so we're looking forward to it. Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is a very worthy opponent. The years are hopefully behind him, but I'm a big fan of his and when you get these good sprinters matched together, it just brings excitement to everyone involved in racing.”

The post Ward Duo Target Royal Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Breeders’ Cup Winner Four Wheel Drive Retired To Stand In Japan

Four Wheel Drive, the winner of the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, has been retired from racing, sold to Japan's Thoroughbred Breeders Club, and he will begin stud duty in that country in 2021, BloodHorse reports.

The 4-year-old colt from the first crop of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah ends his career with three wins in four starts, and earnings of $693,385. He was trained by Wesley Ward for owner Breeze Easy LLC.

Four Wheel Drive went unbeaten in three starts during his juvenile season, winning the Rosie's Stakes at Colonial Downs in his debut, then taking the G3 Futurity Stakes before winning the inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita Park. He raced only once at three, finishing seventh in a Churchill Downs allowance.

Bred in Kentucky by Glenvale Stud, Four Wheel Drive is out of the stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Funfair

Argentine Group 1 Winner Mirinaque To Make First Start For Wesley Ward In Queens County Stakes

Parque Patricios Racing Stables' Mirinaque will attempt to parlay a strong runner-up effort against graded stakes company into his fourth start in North America in Saturday's $100,000 Queens County for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Argentinian-bred son of Hurricane Cat will make his first start for trainer Wesley Ward, who took over training duties from Maria Munoz.

Mirinaque arrives off a sharp second-place effort at 33-1 odds in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Marathon on Nov. 6 at Keeneland, where he secured a stalking position along the rail, made a four-wide move around the far turn and briefly took command just inside the eighth-pole.

Mirinaque was unable to fend off Rocketry's devastating late turn-of-foot, finishing one length back in the 1 5/8-mile route, but still earned black type for the first time in the United States.

A G1 winner in his native country when taking the one-mile Polla de Potrillos in September 2019, Mirinaque made his first start in the country on Aug. 22 when fifth to Maximum Security in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar, and subsequently shipped to Keeneland for the G2 Fayette on Oct. 10, where he finished eighth.

“Maria asked if I could take over the training when she went back to Argentina,” Ward said. “She was stabled in our barn at Keeneland and I got to know her going into the Fayette.”

Ward said that Mirinaque began flourishing in his training when being introduced to some new surroundings and moved to Ward's barn located right next to Keeneland.

“I have a tobacco barn that's adjacent to Keeneland. It sits up on the hill where the breeze blows through it,” Ward said. “That's where all my Royal Ascot horses go; all my horses going to Europe all stable there. Horses that go up there seem to relish it a lot and demolish their feed tub and that's really what happened to this guy. We look forward to hopefully a good run. He ran well last time.”

Mirinaque recently worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 on Dec. 11 at Keeneland.

“I kept sending word to Maria that the horse was doing better,” Ward said. “He's stayed in the same stall. He's had some great breezes and he's been doing great. He ran wonderful on Breeders' Cup day and is carrying it into this race.”

Jockey Dylan Davis will ride from post 2.

Multiple stakes-winner Forewarned has attempted victories in some of the most marquee races on the NYRA circuit, but will gain class relief in his next New York endeavor.

Owned by trainer Uriah St. Lewis' Trin-Brook Stables, Forewarned has earned more than a half-million dollars through a 31-8-4-4 record.

Forewarned was unplaced in last year's G1 Whitney and G1 Woodward at Saratoga, as well as the G1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, but returned to New York in June with a third-place finish in the G3 Westchester at Belmont Park.

Foreward was a distant fifth last out in the listed Richard W. Small on Nov. 28 at Laurel Park, and two starts ago was a repeat winner of the 10-furlong Best of Ohio Endurance at Mahoning Valley Race Course.

“He's training well. I think he has a very good shot,” said St. Lewis. “The biggest thing is that he likes the distance. The mile and an eighth is good for him. He relishes longer distances. This horse likes any kind of surface, so as long as you give him distance. I'm pleased with him.”

Jockey Eric Cancel rides from post 6.

Trainer Orlando Noda will saddle Danny California in an attempt for a second stakes triumph. Bred in New York by West Point Thoroughbreds and 3C Thoroughbreds, the 5-year-old chestnut son of Afleet Alex won the Miner's Mark on Sept. 11 at Belmont Park, his fourth triumph in 11 starts this season.

Danny California arrives at the Queens County off a week's rest, having run a distant fifth in the Alex M. Robb against his Empire State-bred counterparts.

Breaking from post 1, Danny California will be ridden by jockey Jorge Vargas, Jr.

Completing the field are Empty Tomb [post 3, Manny Franco], Backsideofthemoon [post 4, Jose Lezcano], Musical Heart [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche] and So High [post 7, Andre Worrie].

The Queens County is slated as Race 9 on Aqueduct's 10-race program, which offers a first post of 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

The post Argentine Group 1 Winner Mirinaque To Make First Start For Wesley Ward In Queens County Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post