BloodHorse Interview: Coach Nolan Ramsey

Nolan Ramsey, longtime assistant to coach Mike Maker, is starting to make waves since launching his personal secure. In his twenty ninth begin, the 27-year-old registered his first stakes win as a coach when the Avenue Magician  gelding Whenigettoheaven  streaked residence within the July 14 $75,000 Ben’s Cat Stakes at Laurel Park. The milestone win was made all of the extra particular for the reason that gelding is owned by Ramsey’s grandfather, outstanding horse proprietor and breeder Ken Ramsey, who’s recuperating from a latest kidney transplant surgical procedure.

Nolan Ramsey spoke with BloodHorse about vital racetrack classes he discovered from each his grandfather and Maker, his resolution to make the leap from assistant to coach, and his purpose of in the future stabling horses and successful races in his residence state of Kentucky.

BloodHorse: You received your first stakes race final weekend with Whenigettoheaven. Did you ever assume this was one thing you’d be capable of accomplish inside your first 30 begins?

Nolan Ramsey: I did not assume it might occur this fast, however a great horse could make anyone look good. He is been in good type for us and I believed it was a reasonably logical spot for him after the allowance win (June 7 at Laurel), so we took a shot. It is good to knock it off so fast. And to win for (Ken Ramsey) made it all of the extra particular. He is been my greatest supporter, so to not solely knock off my first win (Could 10 at Gulfstream Park with the Ken Ramsey-owned Marshamarshamarsha ) and my first stakes win as nicely is icing on the cake for me.

BH: Are you able to speak about your relationship along with your grandfather?

NR: I grew up working round with him going to the racetracks. Even from a younger age, he taught me easy methods to learn a situation guide, easy methods to learn a Racing Type, the Rag sheets. He taught me to be a reasonably good handicapper. If it wasn’t for him and my grandmother, I do not know if I’d’ve discovered my method to the horses or not. He is at all times been one to push you. He has very excessive expectations. He was at all times in my ear about me going out by myself.

BH: Your grandfather launched you to horse racing, however what impressed you to develop into a coach?

NR: I began working at my grandfather’s farm after I was 8 or 9 years previous working with the mares and foals. I at all times appreciated horses. I at all times appreciated being round them and dealing with them. Once I was 15 years previous I got here to Saratoga and Mike Maker provided me my first job on the racetrack strolling hots. I simply fell in love with it. The grind, the thrill, the motion—all of it. It was enthralling, and I knew from that day on that is what I wished to do. It was only a matter of when.

BH: You labored for Mike for a very long time. What had been a few of your greatest takeaways from working in his barn?

NR: I began with him after I was 15, after which I began with him full-time as an assistant the day after I graduated highschool up till this previous April.

A number of working for Mike was studying persistence. Studying easy methods to take heed to the horse, being affected person with the horses. Horses cannot communicate however they positive do provide you with plenty of indicators if you understand how to take heed to them. One thing I believed was very useful working for him was that he had all kinds of horses. He had your Saturday afternoons, your grade 1s, after which he had your $7,500 claimers as nicely. You be taught lots from all several types of horses. So with the ability to work in a barn the place you noticed all these several types of horses at completely different ranges, you actually be taught lots from them. One other factor I valued working from him was studying that “Lukas method” of doing issues, that old-school technique of horsemanship. That is one thing for my part that as of currently appears to be falling off, so to have the ability to witness it and be taught it and have that in my pocket beginning off in my very own coaching profession I believe goes to go a great distance for me.

(Maker is a former assistant to D. Wayne Lukas.)

BH: How will you finest summarize the “Lukas method”?

NR: The way in which he trains them, treats them, feeds them. And it is not every part that everybody sees. It is these minute particulars, although, that typically could make the most important distinction.

BH: What made you lastly determine to take the leap to changing into a coach?

NR: It had been one thing behind my thoughts for fairly some time. I’ve obtained a younger household, and as a lot as I beloved working for Mike and the touring round, it is robust with a household. I’ve two younger children I would like to consider. I might like to have the ability to take that time off if I wanted to go do one thing with them or go on trip with them. I simply wished to be extra answerable for my private schedule. In order that was one of many elements pushing me. And two, I did need to win some races for my grandfather. I believed it was one thing that may be particular and I wished to perform. Fortunately, his kidney transplant’s gone nicely up to now, however on the finish of the day he is 88 years previous and I wished to ensure I achieved that earlier than it is too late.

BH: Why did you decide on establishing your secure at Gulfstream? What do you want about racing and coaching in South Florida?

NR: I am snug down right here. Gulfstream is type of like my second residence. I have been coming down right here for the winters since I began working for Maker. I actually prefer it down right here and have a house down right here. I believed beginning out coaching someplace the place I knew the lay of the land and felt snug was most likely useful.

BH: And also you additionally presently have a string of horses stabled at Laurel Park in Maryland. Why did you determine to ship horses there?

NR: I selected to arrange store at Gulfstream, however then after I began getting horses in and getting a really feel for what my secure was going to seem like it was fairly clear to me we had been unbalanced. I had a majority of grass horses and plenty of them had been the identical sort of situation, identical sort of horses. And with few alternatives to run, I felt like I needed to unfold out my secure to be handiest. I believed Laurel was most likely probably the most logical place for me to be. They run plenty of turf races, plenty of conditional claimers, and I believed the guide match me very well. And when you get rained off the turf or a race does not go, a half a dozen tracks are inside a four- to six-hour drive.

I plan on staying at Laurel at the very least by means of the top of turf season. As of proper now, we’re nonetheless predominantly turf horses within the barn. I am eager about taking a string to Kentucky within the winter and attempting Turfway Park; they provide artificial. The cash is nice. I do know my grandfather would like to see me break into Kentucky, and my different purchasers as nicely. So I am considering of attempting Kentucky for the winter and splitting between Kentucky and Gulfstream.

BH: What are some targets you hope to attain along with your secure by means of the top of this 12 months? After which targets down the road?

NR: For a extra short-term logical purpose, I might prefer to see issues simply proceed the best way they are going for the remainder of the 12 months. We have had plenty of ups and downs getting began however I believe we lastly discovered our footing and we’re beginning to get rolling. So I might prefer to see the remainder of the 12 months go nicely. I am planning on taking just a few horses to Kentucky Downs. I’d like to win a race or two in Kentucky earlier than the 12 months’s up. Particularly at Keeneland. Keeneland is a particular place for me. I am from Lexington, Keeneland’s my residence monitor, and I’ve obtained all my household in Lexington as nicely, so if I may win a race at Keeneland this fall that may be very particular for me.

As for long-term targets? Effectively, I guess I’ve the identical targets as each different horse coach. I might like to win the Kentucky Derby (G1). That is a giant one. It is a particular race and it is exhausting to do. But it surely’s much more particular being somebody from Kentucky. That is a race that is eluded lots of people, and if I may accomplish that it might be fairly one thing.