Ward Files Motion Forcing the Sale of Ramsey's Horses

Trainer Wesley Ward is asking a Jessamine County circuit judge to force the sale of 14 racehorses owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey to put toward a disputed debt of nearly $1 million.

Ward and the Ramseys have been battling in court since last March when Ward filed a lawsuit to recover what he reported at that time to be $974,790 in unpaid training bills and related expenses. Also during March, Ramsey was sued by trainer Mike Maker for an alleged $905,357 in outstanding debt. Ramsey made some payments to Maker but the trainer ended up going back to Fayette (Ky.) Circuit Court with a motion compelling Ramsey to pay an outstanding balance of $505,385. Ramsey and Maker eventually reached a settlement.

In a motion filed Dec. 1 in Jessamine (Ky.) Circuit Court, Ward said he has taken numerous steps to mitigate this debt, including a previous arrangement made with Ken Ramsey to receive $100,000 per month until the debt was paid. Ramsey, according to court documents, only made one of those payments. Ward also said he offered to continue racing the 14 horses in his care and apply any purses earned toward the debt but that Ramsey has refused to allow him to enter the horses to race. Meanwhile, the horses are accumulating $1,500 per day in training and care costs.

"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," the Dec. 1 motion states.

In September, Ken Ramsey filed an affidavit that attacked Ward's character and accused him of violating his trust and mismanaging his horses.

Ward's motion asked Jessamine Circuit Court Judge Hunter Daugherty to require all 14 horses be sold during the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale to be held Jan. 10-13 and that all proceeds be held in escrow until the lawsuit is resolved.

Ward did acquire back in March agister's liens against the Ramseys' horses, which in essence gives ownership of the horses to Ward for one year because of the outstanding debt and prevents Ramsey from taking them. The lien was sought in Fayette County because the horses are stabled at Keeneland.

"Ward Enterprises should be allowed to enforce its agister's liens by selling Ramsey's horses ... and applying the proceeds of such sale to the debt it is owed by Ramsey," the motion states.

The Ramseys' horses in Ward's care include grade 2 winner Artie's Princess , multiple stakes winner Chasing Artie , grade 3-placed stakes winner Ramsey Solution , and seven unraced 2-year-olds.

A hearing to consider the motion has been scheduled for Dec. 9.