Gulfstream Park: Ramsey Zimmerman making most of new opportunity

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Ramsey Zimmerman is happy to get another second chance to jump-start his once-promising riding career.
After more than a year away from race riding to address drug problems, Zimmerman has returned to the saddle this winter in south Florida. On Thursday, he won two races at Gulfstream Park – his first victories since December 2012 at Fair Grounds.

“There wasn’t one day that went by that I didn’t think about race riding,” said Zimmerman, who has ridden 1,607 winners in his career, including Cloudy’s Knight in the Grade 1 Canadian International in 2007. “The winner’s circle is a feeling like no other.”

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Zimmerman, 32, was arrested in 2011 and served 110 days in jail for possession and intent to deliver crack cocaine. He came back to ride in January 2012, but by the end of the year, Zimmerman’s demons returned. After riding the card at Fair Grounds on Dec. 9, 2012, he was given the choice by Fair Grounds stewards to go get help or be drug tested. Zimmerman went to get help at a rehabilitation facility in Ocala, Fla. Zimmerman lives in Ocala with his fiancée, Jenny; daughter, Race; and son, Ryder.

“I’m glad they gave me the chance,” said Zimmerman, who also was suspended for drug issues in 2005. “I’m glad I made the right decision. I went into a treatment center.”

Zimmerman said he still does rehabilitation daily on an outpatient basis.

“Anything I put before sobriety I’m going to lose anyway,” Zimmerman said. “It’s happened too many times before. That’s No. 1 in my life. I go to lots of support-group meetings.”

During his time in Ocala, Zimmerman began to work for J.J. Crupi, who runs Crupi’s Newcastle Farm.

“He gave me a pretty good job that made it so I could take care of my family while I was getting straightened out,” Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman said he came to south Florida on the back of a horse van and has been freelance galloping in the morning. On Thursday, both of his winners came for trainer Norman Pointer.

“I met Norman about three weeks ago,” Zimmerman said. “He’s got a really big heart. He could tell I was broke. He said, ‘Hey, if you want to gallop some horses ...’ He gave me a gallop job to keep me going. I was running out of money pretty quick. It paid off in a big way.”
Zimmerman, who on Friday picked up Danny Mellul as his agent, rides two horses for owner Frank Calabrese on Sunday. Zimmerman hopes to ride in south Florida for the summer.

“I really want to stay here for the summer,” he said. “I think it’s really good racing. I love this racetrack.”