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Dark Bay Colt by Devil His Due-Tell A Secret by Speak John
Owner: Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey
Trainer: Dale Romans
Last Start: Dubai World Cup (Gr. 1) in
March 26, 2005
Next Start: Undetermined
Horsehat.com Fast Fact: Roses in May’s
owners, Ken and Sarah Ramsey also own 2004 Eclipse Champion
Turf Male Kitten’s Joy.
At 4
WON Whitney H G1
WON Kentucky Cup Classic H G2
WON Cornhusker H G3
2nd Breeders’ Cup Classic G1
At 5
WON Dubai World Cup Gr. 1
2nd Donn H G1
Roses in May Gets World
Cup Bouquet
Edited from AP article by Kamran Jebreili
In Saturday's 10th edition of the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I),
as predicted, the Dale Romans-trained Roses in May
scored a fifth win in the race for America Saturday.
He led home Saudi Arabia's Dynever and fellow American Choctaw
Nation, the pair chasing him home hard, albeit at a respectable
distance. In dominating the world's richest race by three
lengths, Roses in May won the $3.6 million winner's purse
for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey of Kentucky.
"I was very confident beforehand," said Romans.
"He is a special horse."
The finish was very nearly an American sweep. The 5-year-old
Kentucky-bred Dynever had raced his entire career in the
U.S. before being purchased privately this winter by Prince
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.
Weichong Marwing sent Mike De Kock's Yard-Arm into an early
lead with Saudi Arabia's Chiquitin for company and the eventual
winner not far away while racing on the outside. As the
race developed down the backside, John Velazquez confidently
pushed Roses in May past Chiquitin, who soon cried enough
and took the fight to Yard-Arm. Japan's Adjudi Mitsuo loomed
briefly as a challenger but as they entered the straight
it soon became clear that Velazquez' mount had their measure.
Choctaw Nation emerged as a danger, nearly reaching even
terms, and England's Jack Sullivan also rallied into contention,
but neither could sustain their challenge with Jack Sullivan's
suspect stamina failing. He weakened, as did Choctaw Nation
and it was left to Christophe Clement-trained Dynever to
run on and take second.
In the end the 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Devil His
Due was able to coast home fairly comfortably, with jockey
Velazquez going through the motions and waving his whip
to keep the horse's mind on the job.
"This is the biggest moment I've had in racing so
far, absolutely," Ken Ramsey said, grinning from ear
to ear. "Right now, I feel like I'm king of the mountain."
Ramsey, who had a great stay in Dubai, said his plans are
to "stay here and party. We're going to have a champagne
and roses party tonight," he said.
Velazquez said his horse got off to a slow start and was
distracted by the bright lights of the track, but made up
for it quickly.
"I put him in gear early on because I wanted to take
the lead and make the others work harder," Velazquez
said. "He didn't break well from the gate. I had to
get him to a point where he was comfortable. I put him into
a fast gear and I didn't look back. He just did what he
needed to do."
Runner-up to Ghostzapper in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr.
I) last year, the winner has now won eight of his 13 starts
and would look a live contender for this year's Classic.
Romans, beaming as he led Roses in May to the winner's
circle, said, "This is the most exciting thing that's
happened to me in a long time. Probably the most exciting."
He later said the horse, who increased his career earnings
to $5,490,187, deserves a rest.
"We'll take him back to Kentucky and give him a little
break after this," Romans said.
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