By Steve Sherack
Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey topped the individual breeders list in North America in 2015 with $9,399,425 in earnings, according to statistics released by The Jockey Club Information Systems. This marked the third straight year that the Ramseys have earned the distinction. The couple's flagship stallion Kitten's Joy will command a $100,000 stud fee at Ramsey Farm in Kentucky in 2016.
“I thought it was a very good year,” Ken Ramsey said when reached for comment Friday afternoon. “To have a breeding farm that only has one stallion, and to top the breeders list when you're competing with Adena Springs, Sheikh Mohammed, Coolmore, Calumet, Claiborne, Airdrie, etc., it just shows what a special horse Kitten's Joy has turned out to be.”
The Ramseys bred the winners of 202 races from 1,667 starters in 2015, including multiple Grade I stakes victories from homebreds Big Blue Kitten (Kitten's Joy) and Stephanie's Kitten (Kitten's Joy). Both have been named as Eclipse Award finalists and the Ramseys are also finalists in the Outstanding Owner and Breeder categories, respectively.
“Kitten's Joy is a homebred and we've raised the majority of his babies, too,” Ramsey added. “That makes me feel like our program is on the right track. I take my hat off to my farm manager Mark Partridge and my son Jeffrey, a very integral part of the program. It's not a one-pony show by any means. I'm out front so I guess I get the credit, but it's the people behind me that make me look good.”
He concluded, “He's kind of like an assembly line–long live the Kitten. I'd say he's leading the life of leisure here. A lot of human beings don't get the treatment that he does. I think 2016 is going to be one of our better years–we've got a lot to look forward to coming up through the pipeline.”
Darley finished second with $9,226,571 in earnings and 153 winners from 803 starts. Darley finished atop the breeders list that includes partnerships with 214 wins from 1,296 starts for earnings of $11,607,639. The Ramseys were second on that list with $9,442,869 in earnings and 204 winners from 1,683 starts.
Rounding out the list of top 10 individual breeders were Adena Springs, $8,721,749 (262 wins / 1,803 starts); Zayat Stables, $8,434,540 (15/59); WinStar Farm LLC, $7,813,415 (195/1,202); Brereton C. Jones, $5,061,492 (217/1,448); Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, $4,721,497 (88/577); Eugene Melnyk, $3,944,909 (147/847); Spendthrift Farm LLC, $3,849,787 (119/704); and Charles Fipke, $3,759,702 (66/620).
Completing the list of top 10 breeders including partnerships were Adena Springs, $9,412,519, (282 wins / 1,978 starts); WinStar Farm LLC, $8,853,197 (236/1,451); Zayat Stables, $8,434,780 (15/60); Brereton C. Jones, $6,536,196 (267/1,767); Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, $5,584,001 (111/734); Claiborne Farm, $4,768,896 (94/673); Machmer Hall, $4,121,691 (57/463); and W.S. Farish, $4,005,266 (135/951).
The complete lists of the top 100 breeders of 2015 are accessible here through equineline.com.
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