Nolan Ramsey To Saddle First Starter Saturday At Gulfstream

Nolan Ramsey will saddle his first starter since going out on his own Saturday at Gulfstream Park with the benefit of the extremely well-rounded education he received while serving as trainer Mike Maker’s longtime assistant.

“One thing I was really grateful about working for Mike is he had horses in the Grade 1 Stakes on Saturday and the nickel claimers on Wednesday afternoons. We had a little bit of everything. We had dirt, turf, long, short. We had everything in between,” Ramsey said. “Being able to work with Mike was a big step up for me and a good thing to have in my back pocket – the experience with different types of horses. Even though you’d like to have a barn full of Grade 1 winners, the reality is it’s not going to happen. Experience with the lower-level horses can help your horsemanship and help you when a good one comes along.”

Ramsey will be represented in Saturday’s Race 11, a 1 1/16-mile $35,000 maiden claiming race for 3- and 4-year-old fillies on turf, by Corrin Peak, a 3-year-old filly owned by his grandfather Ken Ramsey, the 2023-2024 Championship Meet’s leading owner who has been honored with the Eclipse Award as Outstanding Owner with his late wife Sarah four times.

“She came in in good condition, so no complaints with her. It’s just the way the [condition] book fell that she was the first to be entered,” Ramsey said. “I think we have a pretty good shot. I see that we’ve been installed as the 9-5 favorite. It might be a little bit excessive, but she’s ready to run.”

Corrin Peak, a daughter of City of Light, lost a photo finish for win March 29 against $20,000 maiden claimers for trainer Rohan Crichton.

Ramsey has 30 horses with another 10 in Ocala ready to join his Gulfstream barn. The 27-year-old Lexington, Ky. native will also have a string in Mid-Atlantic.