By Bill Finley
Jessamine (Ky.) County Circuit Court Judge Hunter Daugherty ruled Thursday that trainer Wesley Ward can sell 14 horses owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey at the Keeneland January Sale in order to cover what Ward alleges are unpaid training bills. Ward has maintained the he is owed nearly $1 million by the Ramseys.
The story was first reported by the BloodHorse.
“Unfortunately, it has come down to this,” Ward said. “Mr. Ramsey has been a big part of my success. We've won over $10 million in purses and 250 races and I have raced for him in five different countries. He's a great guy and for whatever reason things went sideways. I'm just glad that this is about to come to an end. I hope that someday I will be able to shake his hand. I don't know how things to got to this point, but I have nothing bad to say about Mr. Ramsey.”
The horses are scheduled to be sold Jan. 13.
Daugherty was ruling on a Dec. 2 motion in which Ward requested permission to sell the horses in question. Ward's lawyers argue that the sale of the horses became necessary only after all other efforts to collect the money from Ramsey had failed. Because Ward's dispute with Ramsey, who has denied owing Ward the money, is ongoing, the proceeds from the sale will be held in escrow pending a full resolution of the matter.
On Mar. 19, Ward sued Ramsey for unpaid bills. According to court filings, Ramsey acknowledged the debt and agreed to pay Ward $100,000 per month until it was paid off. But he made just one payment.
In a Dec. 7 counterclaim, Ramsey argued that he did not in fact owe Ward the money because Ward wasn't fulfilling his duties as a trainer. The allegations made against Ward included breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, breach of good faith and fair dealing, and unjust enrichment
None of the Ward-Ramsey horses have started since July, which Ramsey says prevented him from earning any purse money with the 14. Ward said the horses have not run because Ramsey would not allow them to be entered. Ward said he had hoped that the horses could continue running and that their earnings could be used to pay off the debt.
“We have now learned that Ward was not looking out for our best interest or the best interest of our horses,” Ramsey charged. “In many instances we are learning he was not training our horses and certainly not training them to the standards of the industry for Thoroughbred training and race preparation.”
“Rather than pay his debt to Ward Enterprises and take possession of his horses, Ramsey has instead chosen to publicly make false assertions against Ward Enterprises in a misguided attempt to trump up claims against Ward Enterprises,” Ward's legal team countered.
The list of horses scheduled to be sold is headed by Artie's Princess (We Miss Artie), winner of the GII Bessarabian S. at Woodbine in 2020 and the champion female sprinter in Canada last year. The list also includes gelding Ramsey Solution (Real Solution), winner of the Tapit S. at Kentucky Downs; and Chasing Artie (We Miss Artie), the winner of the Palisades Turf Sprint S. and the My Frenchman S. Four other older horses will be sold: Train to Artemus (Tapizar), Royal Kitten (Kitten's Joy), Bitten by Kitten (Kitten's Joy) and Casanova Kitten (Kitten's Joy).
Seven unraced 2-year-olds will also be sold. They are Economic Hangover (We Miss Artie), Frosty Paws (Frosted), Gambling Tzar (Tapizar), Parents Pride (Maclean's Music), Pillbox (We Miss Artie), Plan of the Day (Maclean's Music) and Profit Hunter (We Miss Artie).
“We were willing to help facilitate the process,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “We have been watching the developments so we would have room to offer them if necessary, and the ruling came down today. We are able to make them available to be offered on the last day of the sale, which is Jan. 13.”
Ward said he has been training the horses with the sale in mind.
“They're either breezing tomorrow or the next day,” he said. “We're ready to go so that we can show all the potential buyers that the horses are in good shape and are fit and fresh. They will have ample works going into the sale.”
Ward expects that the total proceeds from the sale will exceed the $1 million he says he is owed.
“I'm hoping Mr. Ramsey makes a bunch of money here,” he said. “Hopefully he will make much more than what his costs are.”
Trainer Mike Maker has had similar problems with Ramsey and at one point this year claimed he was owed more than $900,000 in unpaid bills. Ramsey and Maker have since reached a settlement.
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