Breeders' Cup achievement award goes to Ramseys

Sarah and Ken Ramsey, whose homebred Stephanie’s Kitten won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf this year, have won the inaugural John Deere Award as the leading breeders in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.

The award recognizes the breeder with the highest number of points, accumulated by wins in 68 Breeders’ Cup Challenge races and the 15 races at the Breeders’ Cup Championships weekend, held this year at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4-5. The Ramseys’ 22 points edged out the 20 points collected by five other breeders: Gregg Anderson, Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs, Vinery’s Grapestock LLC, Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, and Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm.

Stephanie’s Kitten won the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland en route to her Juvenile Fillies Turf victory. Another Ramsey homebred, the 3-year-old Holiday for Kitten, won the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes by a head over eventual Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Musical Romance. Both Stephanie’s Kitten and Holiday for Kitten are by the Ramseys’ stallion, Kitten’s Joy.

The Ramseys will receive a John Deere TS Gator Utility vehicle. Breeders’ Cup Limited and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s group-purchasing program, NTRA Advantage, present the award.