Ramseys Nab Second Barbados Gold Cup

Sayler's Creek provided owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey with a second consecutive win the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup, the signature race of the Barbados Turf Club, March 7 at Garrison Savannah Racetrack near Bridgetown.

 

The Kentucky couple, leading owners in the U.S. the past two years, won with Major Marvel in 2014 and returned this year to take down the $214,000 (US$107,000) event with Sayler's Creek, who scored by 1 1/4 lengths under jockey Rico Walcott. 

 

Sayler's Creek covered the 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8 mile) turf race for 3-year-olds and up, considered a grade I event locally, in 1:53.40. 

 

Daunting David was second, Knight Rider finished a head back in third in the 10-horse field, and the Ramseys homebred stakes winner Gentleman's Kitten was fourth under Barbados native Patrick Husbands, who rode Major Marvel to victory last year.

 

"It probably won't feel as good this year as next year when we three-peat," Ken Ramsey joked to the Barbados Advocate after the Gold Cup. "This is special. You come down—you bring one horse down—(and) it could be a fluke. (But) you bring two down (and) it makes you feel like you got a good team, and we are delighted with the outcome."

 

Like Major Marvel, Sayler's Creek is a gelding by Bernstein trained by Mike Maker. 

 

Sayler's Creek improved his career line to 9-4-5 from 24 starts. He came into the Gold Cup off a third-place finish in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance Jan. 17 at Gulfstream Park. 

 

Campaigned as a homebred by Alastar Thoroughbred Co. earlier in his career, Sayler's Creek was a $20,000 claim by Maker on behalf of the Ramseys out of a runner-up finish at Keeneland in October 2013. 

 

Kentucky-bred Sayler's Creek was produced by the winning Pulpit mare Postulant, also the dam of Laurel Park stakes winner Beggarthyneighbor, by Half Ours  . Unraced second dam Pretty in Green is a half sister to grade I winner and prominent sire Wavering Monarch.